When You Were Young
by Dragon up a tree
Summary: NOT A SONGFIC! It's a spin off of my other series. Anybody remember that potion Watari made that one time...? Well, it's back! rated for language.
1. Four for One

THIS IS A SPINOFF OF MY OTHER STORIES, **TABULA RASA **AND **LIKE THE RAIN!!!!** if you want to understand what's going on, i suggest you at least browse them first.

Yes, that's right, yet another story Neina, Hokuto and of course the YnM cast! But it gets a little crazy this round. Read and see for yourself!

---------------------------------------------

Watari hummed merrily and practically danced down his lab table as he plucked an ingredient here and a beaker there for his latest attempt at his sex change potion. He was certain that it was right this time because the book the potion came from was actually from Neina Kurosaki's library, _Spells and Potions of the Divine Goddesses._ After thumbing through the thick dusty tome, he had almost had a stroke when he read the description of this particular potion.

'Used to break down and dissolve the dominant gender, and rebuild it in the image of the goddess.'

It went on, something about a warning, probably to keep it out of the reach of children and pets, but he didn't care. _This is it! I just let it simmer for a while and then I'll be able to ogle my own cleavage!_ He began swaying his hips to his own victory song and swirling the last ingredient in one hand. He turned while doing the twist only to freeze when he saw Neina right behind him with a large smile on her face.

"Please, don't stop on my account, you're quite entertaining to watch," she said between chuckles.

Watari grinned back and continued on, eliciting more laughter from the other blond. "Just shakin' what my mama gave me!"

"I take it that's a new phrase I'm not familiar with?"

"Watch TV every once in a while, you'll pick it up as you go."

Neina shook her head then leaned to the side to look past him. "Uh oh, you're 'cooking' apparently. Should I get a tarp? Or a shield?"

"No need to worry, I've got this all under control! This one's going to work, I can feel it. It came from one of your books after all."

The corn silk blonde arched her eyebrows. "One of mine? Which one?"

"Something about Divine Goddesses. But don't worry, I followed the steps precisely and it should be ready any minute now. Good bye, dominant gender, hello image of the goddess!"

She rubbed her chin, eyes narrowing. "One of my books…goddesses…image of the goddess?" Her eyes widened as Watari poised the flask with the final ingredient over the simmering beaker. "Watari, Wait! Don't!"

Neina grabbed hold of his arm and pulled as hard as she could to stop him, but not before a single drop of that last ingredient hit the concoction. Swinging him around so that she was in front, she threw up her arm as the glass cracked and finally exploded in a shower of shards and dark blue fluid.

The blonde scientist stared dumbly at what had been his potion and then to his friend who was cradling her arm against her. Several large shards of glass were protruding from her shirt sleeve, blood mixing with the contents as it fell to the floor.

"Neina! Oh my god!" He reached for her arm only to have her inch away.

"No, don't touch it Watari, you'll be poisoned."

"What?! Poison?!! Oh god, you—"

"No, I'm fine. A little cut up, but fine." She began pulling the glass from her arm and shoulder, not even batting an eye as she placed them into a pile. "That potion you were making is a poison that affects only males. Since I'm naturally a woman, I'll be fine and can heal this as soon as I get all the glass out."

"A…a poison?"

"Yeah, that book was written by a bunch of crazy feminist witches. 'Breaking the dominant gender' is code for 'killing off the male population.' Like I said, crazy. Although admittedly I don't know what it would've done to a male shinigami." She breathed across the open wounds, sealing them with little spurts of green flames. "But it won't affect a female, so stop looking at me like that! I'm fine!"

Watari's eyes continued to water and glisten in sorrow and gratitude. "B-but you really could've been hurt! What if the glass hit your eye or punctured you jugular or—"

"Can we stop thinking about the many ways in which I could've just been maimed and focus on the 'yay, we're both alright'?"

"But I have to do something to repay you!" he wailed.

Neina smiled and rose off the floor. "Tell you what, buy me a new shirt and we'll call it even," she laughed. She waved goodbye as she left the lab to go change.

"That doesn't seem like enough…"

--------------------------------------------------------

For a few days Watari watched her closely, hoping to see a better way to repay her. Every morning Neina and Hokuto came in, sometimes baring food to appease their work stressed friends and son. She did odd jobs, but nothing she couldn't handle. Lunch, more work, home with her husband…he stopped following them then, figuring it would be hard to pay her back if he ended up having a restraining order slapped on him.

It was one day later that Watari got his idea. Spying around the corner into the break room, he blinked to see her staring nostalgically into her photo album. Looking around to make sure they were alone—for dramatic effects—he walked up behind her.

"Everything okay?" he asked.

Neina looked up and smiled. "Yeah, just looking at some old pictures." Tracing the edges of baby Hisoka's face, she sighed and turned the page. "I missed so much…I didn't even get to see him when he was little."

Watari frowned and sat down next to her. "That must be tough."

She eyed him for a moment before facing him fully. "Watari, why do you want to be a woman so badly?"

He blinked, confused at the sudden change in topic. "Uh, well is suppose it's for the sake of scientific curiosity. I mean, as a man I can only study the female form so much and I can only go by what I see or what a woman tells me. I find experience is a much better teacher."

"And motherhood, do you want to experience that as well?"

The blonde scientist was actually struck speechless, as was Satan at the sudden change in weather down below. "I…haven't thought that far ahead," he admitted. It wasn't that much of a lie…not really. Though of course as a scientist he had examined all possible angles of the experiment, he had just never encountered someone who brought up that particular angle out of all of them.

Neina smiled and closed the book to rise. "Well, if you do ever get to experience that, or fatherhood really, you'll realize that missing an important moment in your child's life is like missing an important moment in your own. It feels…empty. I don't even have any pictures to look back on…" She shook herself from her growing disquiet and smiled. "But it's okay cause I'm here now, right? Right. And since I'm here I should be getting back to work."

"Alright, I'll talk to you later," he grinned, already formulating the perfect plan in his head. He almost started laughing his mad genius laugh when he noticed her still staring at him. "What?"

"Just wondering…if you did have a child, who would be the father?"

Watari actually flushed, his glasses fogging with the extent of his embarrassment. "I-well that is-uh…"

She laughed, waving her hand in dismissal. "I didn't mean you had to answer, Watari! I was just…curious, you know? But you also know," she said with an evil grin, "blonde hair and blue eyes always look cute on a child!" She laughed as she bolted out the door, not missing the scientist's jaw dropping and mortified blush.

_That woman…knows nothing about genetics. The odds of our child having both blonde hair and blue eyes is—ahh! Why am I even thinking that?! Back to the plan, the plan! Yes, the plan…hee hee hee…_

----------------------------------------------------

"No," Hisoka said for the umpteenth time, sitting across from the genki scientist in his lab. Said scientist pouted and leaned further to entreat him.

"Pleeeeeease, bon? Pretty please?"

"No," he said again, even sterner. The boy had been hanging around Tatsumi too long to be able to imitate that tone so perfectly.

"But—"

"I don't care about your reasons, Watari-san, I will not drink it!"

He snorted and reclined back in his chair with his arms folded. "You know, I didn't have to ask your permission. I know which mug is yours."

Hisoka shuddered but kept his stone mask on. "I'll just bring a thermos then, cause I'm not doing it! I'm not one of your lab rats!"

"Lab gerbils, actually, but that's beside the point. Hisoka, this isn't for me, it's for Neina! She's never gotten to see you when you were young. It's just for a day, two at the most, and it will make her _and_ Hokuto so happy! Please?" He pouted and the boy's eyebrow twitched in response.

"She told you this?"

"Not directly, but it was really, really implied. I mean, Tsuzuki could've picked up on it if he was there!"

"…it's safe?"

"Of course! It's basically the same potion Tsuzuki and I drank, but I managed to work in a timing system so that it will wear of naturally."

"And it's only for a day or two?"

"Yes, just enough that they can take some pictures of you and enjoy it! So will you do it? Make your mom and dad really happy?"

"I don't know…" the teen said, though it was obvious he was wavering. "I mean, when have these plans of yours ever actually worked?"

"You wound me!" he said, clutching his chest as if hit. "I'll have you know I've tested it extensively…on my lab gerbils, and its worked out fine! I already calculated the dosage according to your weight to be enough for a day and a half, and I made up more in case you enjoy being doted on by your parents…" he grinned at the boy's withering stare. "Of course, if you don't want to be a good son and make your parents happy, parents who already feel guilty enough they weren't there for you, who are trying their hardest to make sure your happy and would do anything for y—"

"Okay, okay! I'll drink the damn potion already."

Watari practically squealed as he jumped up and grabbed a beaker full of runny purple potion. "Great! Now, as I've calculated, one mouth full should be enough. And don't mind the taste, it always turns out a little spicy."

Hisoka sighed, resigning himself to the fate he agreed to, and eyed the liquid in his hands. Taking a deep breath, he readied himself to sip from it when—

"NO!!!" They both jumped, the blonde fumbling to keep a grip on the vial as Tsuzuki and Tatsumi barged through the door. "Don't do it, Hisoka! The mysteries of womanhood can be left alone!"

"Tsuzuki?! What're you--?" His partner suddenly lunged and snatched the beaker out of his hands to dangle it high above. "Hey!"

"Tsuzuki, give that back to him! He agreed to drink it!"

"No, I don't want him too! I like him the way he is!"

"But it's only temporary! Just long enough to make Neina and Hokuto happy!" Watari began chasing him around the room for the vial, with Tsuzuki dancing out of his reach every step of the way.

"I don't see how this would make them happy! They're just fine having a son!"

"What're you talking about, baka?" Hisoka growled.

"We just came to intervene, Kurosaki-kun. We heard Watari was trying to test a new potion on you and of course Tsuzuki panicked and ran off to save you. I'll admit, I was a bit worried too, after the last five times…"

"Hey, I told you I did not know that those chemicals produced a fire breathing compound when combined! No one did! And the chief's eyebrows have grown back nicely!" The scientist turned his attention back to his friend running backwards around the room, making another swipe at the beaker. "Tsuzuki, if you'd just listen—"

"No! You promised you wouldn't use Hisoka for an experiment!"

"It's not an experiment, I'm just…Tsuzuki, watch out!"

The warning came too late. Tsuzuki ran right into Watari's rolling chair. The chair swerved back with him and toppled him backwards. The potion went flying from his hands and into fate's which then dropped it on an empty Bunsen burner that happened to be on a low flame for the next stage of another experiment. The potion ignited into a cloud of lavender gas that spread quickly about the room.

The spicy tang of the gas invaded everyone's noses and mouths, except for 003 who'd flown out of the room to get help at the first sign of trouble. It was by her efforts that Neina and Hokuto came running down the hall to open the door and quickly jump back at the billows of gas.

"Watari?! Watari, are you in there?!" they yelled.

"N-Neina? Hok-kuto? Don't breathe it in!" Watari coughed. His voice was oddly high pitched but they couldn't see him or anyone else through the fog.

Sweeping her hand across, she summoned a blast of wind to force the cloud to recede. As it did both parents' mouths dropped open at the sight before them.

Four boys, looking to range from ages six to eight, sitting in pools of clothing. Two had glasses slightly askew on their faces. The blue-eyed one immediately attempted to correct them, only to stare dumbfounded at his small hands lost in the sleeves of a button up shirt. The golden eyed one was still coughing, tears budding in the corners of his eyes. The other two were blinking owlishly and looking around the room. When their green and purple orbs fell on one another they yelled and tried to back away, only to trip over the pants now around their ankles.

"You see this too, right?" Hokuto asked.

"Uh huh…not sure I believe it though," his wife replied. She walked over and knelt before her shrunken son. He stared back doe-eyed, worried at how she just sort of stared and blinked. "…Hisoka?" He nodded, pushing his banes back as the flopped into his face. She smiled and reached out to flick one lock back for him. "I hope you can forgive me for this."

"Huh?" his small voice squeaked.She suddenly pulled him into a fierce hug.

"You are just soooo cute!" she laughed, cuddling him close. Hisoka blushed and began struggling, but stopped when things began getting loud.

"Watari, what in Enma's name did you do?!" the blue-eyed boy—Tatsumi they decided—yelled, hand clamping over his mouth at the young voice that said his words.

"I was trying to tell both of you! That was a youth potion meant for Hisoka, and Hisoka alone!! If anything, this is all Tsuzuki's fault!!"

The little purple eyes began to tear up. "B-but I didn't kn-kno-ow!! I th-thought that-that…" He sniffled and began rubbing furiously at his face to scrub the tears.

Everyone winced. It was hard not to when something that adorable was crying. Paternal instincts kicking in, it was Hokuto that went over and petted the dark hair until he looked up. He smiled reassuringly and grinned when the boy's sobs trailed off into the occasional hiccup. "Okay, calm now? Good. Neina, I'll get this one and Tatsumi, you grab Watari."

"Roger." Before the children could protest they were scooped up and carted out into the hallway.

"Where the heck are we going?!" Hisoka spluttered.

"Keep your pants on…oh, right. Well, we need to go to the chief. I have a feeling he's going to want to know that half his office suddenly belongs in the day care!"

------------------------------------------------

Okay, that good for first chapter I think!

**Next time**: lectures, clothes shopping and sleeping arrangements!

REVIEW and SUGGEST!! What would you like to see happen now that our four main shinigami are children? Tell me and i'll see what i can do!!


	2. Mountains and Butterflies

Right, I'm just moving right into this.

**Laustic**: Yay, you think it's cute X3!! I'm so happy!

**Jennamarie: **Yes I did. Don't worry, I put the belladonna into consideration. They ain't getting out of this that easy!

**Celebdil-Galad and Tinlaure**: Woot! New person with a really long (and somehow familiar) name! Yes, pregnant men are rather disturbing. lol. I never really understood the draw of M-preg, sorry to anyone who likes it. But thank you for reviewing!

**Rhea-samma**: I don't remember him saying that, but it's good to know. And somehow I can imagine him as the proud papa of the bride! XD (salutes Tatari flag) I shall do me best!

**DesertQueen:** I'm an awesome writer?! O O Woo-hoo!!

**Girl-13:** That's what I'm talkin' about!! Love the idea, I'll see what I can do…eventually.

--------------------------------------------

Sitting in chief Konoe's office, the newly youthified shinigami sat with their legs swinging off the edge of the chairs. Their shirts, which now reached down to their knees, where belted around the middle with the sleeves rolled up and gave the effect of them wearing dresses, a comparison they did not appreciate. Neina and Hokuto stood behind them, trying their best not to laugh, well laugh more, at the situation. Konoe himself was slumped over with his head on his desk, looking about ready to tear his hear out at the roots.

"How…why…What the hell happened?!"

"That's the third time you've asked that chief and we told you. It was a potion mishap," Hokuto said.

"That was all Tsuzuki's fault," Watari added.

"Was not!"

"Was too!"

"Was not!"

"Was too!"

"TSUZUKI!!" The brunette flinched in the midst of his argument and looked up to the chief. "What did you think you were doing?"

The purple eyes began tearing again, but he tried to keep his voice level. "I-I thought that Watari was g-g-going to use Hisoka in one of his sex-change experiments. And I didn't want him t-to change! I lo-like Hisoka just the way he is!...was? If he was a girl, he wouldn't be _Hisoka!_" He turned his head down with a miserable look. "I didn't kn-know that he was just ch-changing him into a kid for a little while! I just…didn't want him…to n-n-n-not be him anymore!!"

Tsuzuki looked like he was about to burst into a full weeping when a pale gentle hand smoothed his hair back from his flushed face. He looked up to see Neina smiling gently and smoothing his hair back.

"It's okay, inu-baka, you just made a mistake. We can fix it, right?" she said looking at Watari.

The scientist folded his arms, an intense look of concentration. "I…don't know." The room nearly erupted in loud protests but the little boy threw up his hands to silence them. "I never did any experiments using a gaseous form of the potion. And it was also an entire glass full. In truth, I'm surprised we're not even younger than this! But it should still wear off eventually, the way I planned it for Hisoka. Although…"

"What?" everyone asked.

He shifted uncomfortably. "Well…the time limit depends on the dosage. And since I don't know how much any of us inhaled…we could be stuck like this anywhere from a few hours to…a month."

"A month?!" Tatsumi roared, or at least tried to. It was more of a kittenish roar given the size of his vocal cords now.

"Maybe more. Like I said, I never did any experiments with the gaseous form. It might take longer to wear off than the liquid. And the belladonna potion won't work because I modified the original mixture to put the timing system in so that won't work either. And just winging it could be dangerous."

The boys were still in shock and a little bit of horror. Stuck in these bodies for a month or more? How would they do their work?! Where would they stay?! How would they get booze?!! (you might notice these aren't listed in order of importance.)

Hokuto sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Well, that is a bit of a problem, isn't?"

"A bit?!" the chief yelled, standing up quickly. "Four of my best men were just changed into grade schoolers!! This is a bit more than just a bit!!" He slowly sank back, raking his hand through his graying hair once more. "They can't work like this. I don't think they can even go home like this, it will raise too many questions."

Neina looked at Hokuto and raised an eyebrow. He pursed his lips but finally nodded. "They can stay with us, chief," she said aloud.

All heads shot up at that. "Are you sure, Neina-san? Kurosaki-san?" A thin ray of hope seemed to shine through his eyes towards them.

"Yeah. Neina modified our apartment awhile ago with some dimension incantations, so we have plenty of extra room. Extra cash too. It's not a problem at all, really."

The chief looked at his men turned boys. "Would that be alright with all of you?"

"It's fine with me!" Tsuzuki chirped, evidently back to his normal self.

"I'm good with it. I can do research with Neina if worse comes to worse and I need to find a quick fix."

Though he did not look happy, Tatsumi managed to mutter something that could be roughly translated to a reluctant agreement. Also something about 'stupid blonde scientists and their stupid damn potions'. Watari sweatdropped and offered his most apologetic smile.

All eyes turned to Hisoka. He was staring at his bear feet pensively, glaring at nothing in particular. "Hisoka? Is that okay?" Neina asked. There was barely concealed worry and hope beneath the words. He looked up into her eyes, the glare softening just the tiniest degree.

"I guess. I don't have much of a choice in this situation, do I?" he said, looking away.

"No, you don't," the chief said blandly. "Thank you both again. I hope, for all our sakes, this doesn't last too long."

When they all left the chief pulled open his bottom drawer and pulled out a tumbler filled with scotch. "Its times like these I'm glad I'm dead, or I'd probably die from liver failure."

---------------------------------------------

"I still don't see what was wrong with what I chose," Tatsumi said, looking at the garments Neina had dropped into his hands dubiously. They were in the subterranean department store beneath the bureau, buying new clothes for the kids.

"For the last time, Tatsumi, an eight-year-old in a business suit is just plain creepy. Now hurry up and change. Unless you like wearing a toga dress?" she chuckled as his face pinked.

"I don't mind it! It's nice and breezy!" Tsuzuki laughed.

"That's it, you're next," Hokuto said, pulling a few items from Tsuzuki's designated pile to change into. Hisoka and Watari were already changed. Hisoka wore a pair of canvas shorts with a red and white striped tee-shirt and tennis shoes. Watari had opted for a beetle green shirt and jeans over a pair of bright orange high-tops. The rest of their purchases were in the half dozen bags behind them. Watari had brought up that he and Tsuzuki still had their clothing from their last 'youth-ination', but Hokuto had wisely brought up that one set would not do if they were to be stuck for a month or more.

Hisoka was cradling the back of his head in his hands, looking at his even younger body with mild annoyance. _Why did I agree to this in the first place!? I didn't want to be even younger than everybody else! Now I feel even more useless..._

"You okay?"

He looked up to see Neina leaning down and looking sympathetic. "Fine," he mumbled, returning to scrutinizing his body.

"It could always be worst, hon," she laughed.

"Yeah," Hokuto offered. "You could've been turned into a plushie!"

Hisoka looked between them with a slightly uneasy look. "Are…you happy?"

"Huh?" they both blinked.

"Watari said…that you were unhappy that you didn't get to see me as a child so he came up with this idea. So, are you happier now?"

There was a moment of stunned silence before he was lifted into a sudden double hug from both his parents. He froze, not even breathing. This was something very new.

"You didn't have to do this, Hisoka," Neina said quietly.

"It's true, we did regret missing so much of your life, but we're happy to be with you now. We're all together, that's what's important."

"But it was very sweet of you to do this because you thought it would make us happy."

The blonde boy blushed and fidgeted restlessly. "O-okay! Just put me down!" They both laughed and set him down gently.

The dressing room doors opened at that point and both of the other boys stepped out. Tatsumi was dress in a brown shirt and a pair of dark brown slacks over black sneakers. He looked decidedly uncomfortable and put out, like a cat soaked by the rain. Tsuzuki on the other hand was as bouncy as ever and practically skipped out the door. He was wearing black knee length shorts, sandals and a white shirt that had a purpled hued line art of a butterfly swirling across the front. (It's a manly butterfly, okay?)

"Right, that's not so bad, is it?" Tatsumi snorted and folded his arms but Tsuzuki just continued smiling. "Okay, let's check out with the rest of this stuff and head on over to the apartment." She grabbed Tsuzuki's pile and Hokuto grabbed Tatsumi as the picked there way over to the check out.

Tsuzuki, having noticed Hisoka, walked over and smiled. Amethyst eyes had been trained on the boy for most of the day, taken in by the even more innocent beauty he possessed now. He was younger, with rounder features and even larger eyes and flawless skin. He still managed to make Tsuzuki's heart skip a beat even now. "You look really good, Soka-chan!"

Hisoka only tinged a little and muttered, "Thank you."

"What do you think of me?" he said, turning to show off the clothes.

The blonde blushed a little deeper. Despite having shrunk, his feeling for his partner had remained the same if not grown for the look of carefree innocence he now exuded like a radiant aura. Of course, he didn't say that. "Why a butterfly?"

Tsuzuki looked down at his shirt and smiled bashfully while rubbing his neck. "Uh, well, I thought the pattern was pretty. How all the lines and blotches come together to make a beautiful picture. It really is amazing…" he trailed off for a moment and Hisoka could see he was thinking of something that he wanted to keep private. "And I just like butterflies!" he suddenly brightened. "A lot of them come to my garden every year in the spring!"

He opened his mouth to retort but was interrupted by a shrill whistle. Looking over, they saw the rest of their group about to leave with out them. Tsuzuki ran ahead, yelling for them to wait up, and he followed close behind.

---------------------------------------------

Hokuto put his foot to the bed frame and gave one good push, effectively sending it sliding across the room to settle perfectly against the wall beneath the window. "Okay, that's the last one," he said, walking out of the room and clapping his hands as if getting rid of dust. "That's four beds in four rooms for our four guests."

Neina smiled, wiping down her knife from the juices of the vegetables she was slicing for dinner. "That's good to hear. I wouldn't want any one trying to kill the other in their sleep."

"Familiarity breeds contempt, eh?"

"And children," she smirked, leaning in and kissing his cheek. "Although how we suddenly ended up with four is rather…unexpected?" She dropped the vegetables into the steamer and closed the lid, checked the roast in the oven and made sure the tarts were still chilling safely away from Tsuzuki in the fridge.

"Well we did say we wanted a big family," he laughed.

"Yes, but I thought that more than one of them would actually be _ours_. And considering they're sort of paired up, if they were our children we'd probably have no end of disturbing moments."

"Ew, good point." He watched her for a few minutes. Watched the nimble fingers at their work. Watched the as she pushed one strand of gold hair behind her ear. Watched as she swayed to a song in her head, humming a few bars every other chorus. Watched as her emerald eyes danced, obviously enjoying herself as she cooked.

"He looks like you." She looked up, blinking in confusion. "Hisoka. He looks like you did when you were younger. And he looks like you when you were a teenager too. Especially when he glares."

A wry grin came to her face and she laughed. "I don't need to be reminded that I was a hellion when I was younger, thanks. But I seem to need to remind you that he's _our_ son. Eventually, if he'd been allowed to grow up, testosterone would've kicked in and we would've seen something resembling that mug of yours."

"I seem to recall you married this 'mug' of mine."

She laughed again. "True, I am forced to admit that lapse in judgment. And I also remember that you had a bit of a baby face when you were younger. Shall I break out the other photo album? The one your mother gave me?"

"Oh god I thought burned those!" he laughed, letting his head fall to the counter in mortification. "Oh, do I smell spicy roast?" He opened the oven only to have his hand smacked by a wooden spoon.

"Don't do that or it will never be done! You didn't want to help earlier so don't try now. Go check on them and make sure they're not destroying anything in the living room."

"Sounding like a house wife already!"

---------------------------------------

"Ah, the good thing about this arrangement is that we get to eat Neina's cooking!" Watari sighed as he patted his full stomach.

"No kidding. All I usually get to eat is take-out," Tsuzuki conquered.

"Because you burn even TV dinners?" Hisoka asked, although even he sounded sated.

"That's true actually. Why do you think I refuse to allow a microwave in the break room?" Tatsumi said.

"Okay, before we begin the next world war, I motion that you all get washed up and into your pajamas."

"But it's only nine o'clock!"

"But it's midnight somewhere. And I'm willing to bet you're all more tired than you want to let on." There was silence as an answer to that. "Thought so. Now move! Or would you rather I help you bathe and dress you myself?"

They were gone in a flash and echo of footsteps down the hall. "You certainly have a way with children," Hokuto laughed.

It was after Tatsumi was washed and dressed and inspecting his new room (which was a bed, a dresser and a closet all located in some alternate location via a linking spell that is far to boring to go into detail) that there was a knock at his door. Opening it he was mildly surprised to see Watari standing there in his own sleeping attire.

"Watari-san? What do you want?"

The scientist shifted uncomfortably under the gaze, fidgeting with the hem of his nightshirt. "Uh…I just wanted to say good night, Tatsumi-san."

"Okay…good night."

"Uh, and," he added quickly before the door closed, "I also wanted to say I'm sorry."

The former secretary arched his eyebrows. "Why?"

"Well, I know that it is pretty much my fault this happened…okay, it's all my fault! But I swear I never thought we would all end up younger and I didn't mean for you…please just say you won't stay angry with me. Not forever anyway."

Tatsumi's eyes softened and he sighed. "I won't stay angry. It's just rather hard to digest at the moment, that's all. Everything was perfectly normal this morning, after all. And also if I had just assured Tsuzuki you wouldn't do any harm, like I know you wouldn't have, then we wouldn't have barged in and sent that potion flying. Although I still don't believe you should've brewed it in the first place, not after the last time."

Watari smiled and nodded. "Yeah, I'm beginning to have that feeling too. In my defense I just wanted to repay Neina some how for saving me. I told you about nearly poisoning myself right?"

"Mm-hm. Next time, may I suggest flowers and a nice card?"

Amber eyes widened and he stared open mouthed at the secretary. "Tatsumi…did you just crack a joke?"

"I was being sarcastic. There's a difference."

"But you still said something humorous, at least given the situation."

"I do have a sense of humor, Watari-san."

"Yeah, but I thought it shriveled up and died after not seeing daylight for half a century."

"Weren't you just asking for me not to be angry with you?" he growled.

Watari laughed and nodded. "Sorry. But in a way I'm glad." He smiled and tilted his head slightly to regard him with laughing eyes. "If you can let yourself go enough to make fun of the situation, then I can believe you won't be angry and aren't just saying it to make me feel better. And if you can joke, then maybe this is just the kind of vacation you needed."

"I did not need a vacation."

"Did too. You've been overworking yourself."

"No I haven't," he said, crossing his arms.

"Yes, you have. I saw you asleep at your desk again the other day. You've been pulling all nighters again." He smiled, although it was a gentle worrying smile. "Truth be told, this is two birds with one stone." 003 hooted from his shoulder and he laughed. "Ah, sorry, poor choice of words. But my next goal after repaying Neina was to get you to relax a little more."

"I shudder to think what that would've involved," he said blandly. "My work schedule is none of your concern. If anything, I'm more stressed now because I'm quite possibly losing an entire month because of this."

"But it is my concern!" Tatsumi blinked and nearly jumped when Watari was suddenly nose to nose with him. "You're my friend, Seichirou. Of course I'm concerned about you and your health. And what's a month or less of just taking time to enjoy what's around you? Meifu stood for more than a millennium before you came along, you know. I think it can remain standing for a month without you, especially since Tsuzuki will be with us. So, just try and relax? Just a little? For me?"

Tatsumi shifted uncomfortably for a moment, looking into pleading amber orbs. He looked away finally. "Alright, I'll try. But I make no guarantees."

"That's okay," Watari said, rocking back on his heels. "Just trying speaks volumes. Well, I guess we should go to bed. I'm really tired all of a sudden. Oyasumi, Seichirou." He laughed as he turned and scampered down the hall, getting away with calling the older man by his first name for a second time in the same five minute span.

"Oyasumi…Yutaka," he added quietly, closing the door to the hall.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Tsuzuki snorted and groaned, turning farther into his pillow. But the knocking came again, not as hesitant as before. Groaning he sat up and yawned, "What do you want?"

"Tsuzuki?" came a quiet voice from the other side of the door.

Amethyst eyes blinked, already more alert. "Hisoka?"

"Can I come in?"

"Sure," he said, swinging his legs out from under the blanket and dangling them over the side. Hisoka opened the door and padded in, pulling the blanket wrapped around his shoulders a little tighter.

"I'm sorry, you were already asleep weren't you?" he said guiltily.

"Yeah, but its okay. Talking to you is much nicer than sleeping." _And it's not too different from my dreams anyway._

The blonde youth nodded and walked farther in. "I…wanted to talk about today."

Tsuzuki's heart sped up. _Oh no, does he blame me for what happened?!_ "O-okay. Here, come on over," he scooted over and patted the bed next to him. Hisoka blushed and fidgeted for a moment before walking over and sitting next to him, making sure there was a good inch between them. "So what's up?" _And how much do I have to apologize for this before you'll forgive me?_

"Its about the butterflies," he said simply, having evidently acquired some courage now.

"Huh?" _Butterflies?_

"Yeah. You said that you liked that butterfly design on your shirt because you like butterflies and the design was pretty but…there's another reason isn't there?"

"Uh…" He was taken off guard. This was the furthest thing from what he expected. "I…well…"

"Don't lie to me," Hisoka warned.

"I wouldn't! It's just…" The silence went on for several moments before Hisoka sighed and rose. Tsuzuki flinched, hating that he had driven away his would be boyfriend with his stupid silence, then gasped as two small arms entwined themselves around his neck from the side. The green eyed boy hadn't left, only shifted so that he was resting on his knees and could rise taller than his companion.

"Tsuzuki…please tell me."

He sighed, leaning into the gentle embrace. "I like butterflies…because they don't last forever. They only stay for a few months and then fade away. I think it's that fragile nature, how they move with time instead of fighting it, that makes them beautiful." _Because they are so different from me._

Hisoka tightened his embrace and closed his eyes. Then a small smile came to his lips. "I prefer mountains."

Amethyst eyes blinked in confusion at the sudden change in topic and the smile. "What?"

"I prefer mountains. They're always there, steady and somehow eternal. But they still change with time. We're probably one of the few who will notice, given how long we have now, but the mountains will slowly change. Trees will grow, snow will fall and the sun will set day after day, but the mountains will still be there and still be slowly changing in one way or another. A butterfly's life is so short it can only mate and then die. But a mountain can watch as the rest of the world changes, offer shelter to those who need it, and stand against time. They're always there but never the same as the day before.

And I like what you said about the design first. How all those lines and blotches of ink came together to form a picture. Just like how so many different things that seem insignificant on their own come together in you to form something amazing." As if realizing what he'd just said Hisoka's face turned the color of a ripe tomato, the heat radiating from his face. "Uh, that is, um…"

"Thank you, Hisoka," Tsuzuki said quietly, his face the boyish face slightly tinged as well.

"Y-you're welcome," he gulped. "Ah, I should go to bed now. Sorry to disturb you. Oyasumi, Tsuzuki," he rushed, jumping up and dashing for the door in flight of his embarrassment of those sentimental words.

"Oyasumi, Hisoka," he called after him. _Years ago he never would've said something like that, especially to me,_ he laughed. _If I'm a picture, then you are a mountain Hisoka. You're changing, slowly but surely. I wonder how much more you'll change. Not too much, I hope._

Smiling, he turned over and pulled the blanket back up to his chin and drifted off back to sleep.

-------------------------------------------------

And scene! Right, that it for this one.

REVIEW and SUGGEST and all that good stuff, I'm off for a break.


	3. Learning the Hard Way

**Celebdil-Galad and Tinlaure**- Ah, so that's where…I should go see if I've read anything by you. Yeah, m-preg is…weird. I've read maybe two in my life, and I just can't help sit there and go 'the hell?!!'.

**Jennamarie**: No prob! And thank for the suggestion! I have one story below that that helped inspire me, but I think it will also be a reacurring theme. So thank you so much!...you have kids? OO

**Laustic:** oh thank goodness! I didn't know if anyone would be able to follow that conversation. I actually have a plan involving a park, but its for a later chapter. The fact you're suggesting it must mean it's a good idea!...or that I'm predictable.

**Kouri18:** Hmmm…you want know more about Hokuto's photo album? I think I can manage that. Maybe next chapter. Muchos gracias, I'm so glad you love it!

**DesertQueen:** I enjoyed my break very much, thank you!

Here after are two little vignettes I came up with. Enjoy!

-----------------------------------------

**1)** (this came from a conversation with a friend who said that Neina and Hokuto's house reminded him of the Addams family mansion.)

Living at Neina and Hokuto's is interesting. Due to the current state of their house in Avalon, the outside is a normal apartment they're renting from normal people. The inside however is a veritable maze of rooms and hallways, due to the fact they had to connect it to a place called the 'Nexus'. Most of which are actually rooms that were already fixed up back at Avalon, like the library and master bedroom. Others…well, no one really knows where they came from.

Tsuzuki and Watari became fascinated by this the first day they spent under the roof(s). Watari because of the mechanics of having so many dimension modifying spells running in one collective junction, its repercussions, what it ran off of, etc. Tsuzuki because he was naturally curious and wanted to know what was behind as many doors as he could find. This however did lead to certain consequences…

----------------------

"Okay, operation Systematically Open Odd Portals is now underway!" Watari said, striking a proud pose.

"…SNOOP?" Tatsumi sweatdropped.

"I still don't think this is a good idea. Neina said that a lot of these doors were locked for a reason," Hisoka said.

"Don't worry bon! We deal with demons and supernatural wanderers on a daily basis. What could possibly come along we can't handle?" Watari said. "Now, pick a door."

"But—"

"I said pick a door!"

"Okay, okay, sheesh." Hisoka took the lead of the small troupe and walked forward. Picking a door at random, he reached up and turned the knob to find it unlocked. Opening it, all four grouped up to look in. Inside was what appeared to be a medieval dungeon. Dark, dank, drippy stone walls, no windows (though they were on the first floor, they were sure of it) and various paraphernalia that would have Ivan the Terrible salivating. To list a few: a wrack, an iron maiden, a dunking tank, a whipping post and a wall of various blades, screws, iron pokers assumed to go with a fire brazier in the corner, clubs and whips.

Tatsumi quickly shut the door and leaned against it, as pale as the rest of the children to his sides. "I…I think we should stop. Before we get caught…"

"Yeah," Hisoka agreed. "I mean, if this is one of the unlocked doors, what are the locked ones like?"

"Aw, c'mon! That was just luck…or maybe unluck of the draw!" Watari said.

"I don't know, Watari. That was pretty scary…"

Watari put his arm around Tsuzuki's shoulder and leaned in to whisper in his ear. "I hear there's a door that leads straight to a free all you can eat pastry shop."

"I say we keep going!" Tsuzuki cheered, marching forward.

_I'm in love with an idiot_, Hisoka thought as he smacked his small hand to his forehead. Tatsumi just sighed and followed the two bouncier children resolutely.

"Who wants to pick next?"

"I will!" Tsuzuki chirped. He began inspecting the nearest doors as if he were about to purchase a fine automobile. "I choose…this one!" He grabbed the doorknob and threw it open. The inside was just an expanse of black. "Hey, it's empty! I want a do over!"

"Huh…so some doors don't lead anywhere?" Tatsumi asked. He reached a hand in to confirm this.

"_Hehehe! That tickles!_" a voice said. They immediately shut that door.

"What the hell was that?" Hisoka asked, trying to remain calm.

"I don't know. I didn't feel anything…but I have the sudden urge to wash my hands."

"Moving on!" Watari said. "Tatsumi, you want to choos?"

The secretary sighed and walked over to a nearby door. Shutting his eyes, he grasped the door handle and pulled.

"...wierd."

"Yeah." He opened his eyes to see a closet full of what appeared to be many costumes. The closest ones were a ballerina's tutu and a black cape resembling Dracula's. "What would they need with all these costumes?" They all walked in and began shifting them around, taking inventory of what there was.

"Man! Remind me to come back here for halloween."

"Yeah. This one's not so bad." They filed back out and Tatsumi closed the door behind them.

"I'll choose next." Walking over to a rather large door, he reached up and jiggled the handle. "Locked," he pouted.

"Oh well, choose again."

"Nah, I'm gonna stick with my choice," the miniature scientist said. Reaching into his pocket he brought out a screwdriver with a smirk.

"Watari, whatever the hell you're about to do, please don't!" Hisoka said.

"Chill, bon, I'm just gonna take a peak."

"Why?" Tatsumi asked with an unamused tone. "Are you looking for something in particular?"

"Not really. I just want to know what Neina and Hokuto could possibly need all these different rooms for." He set the screw driver into the lock and began jimmying it around. "I figure…maybe there's something we could use…to turn us back sooner."

"You don't need to break in to find out," Tsuzuki said. "Just pick another door."

"I said don't worry! I know what I'm doing. There's nothing we can't handle."

There was a soft click and the door popped open a centimeter. Grinning, Watari opened the door gingerly. "Whoa…OH CRAP!!" He shut the door and sped off down the hall. "Run for it!!"

"Why?" There was a loud bang on the other side of the door, which popped open and clattered against the wall. Blinking, they looked up to see a large furry beast, half dog half gorilla it looked like, with long red hair falling into black eyes. He knelt down, the canine like snout snorting at them as if to study their scent. The boys screamed and ran off the way Watari had gone.

"What the hell was that?!" Tsuzuki yelled.

"I don't know but I don't really want to stop and ask!" Hisoka retorted. Up ahead Watari was holding another door open and ushering them in. Once the last of them were inside, he closed the door and leaned against it.

"Right…maybe I don't know what I'm doing. Let's go back."

………………………………………………

"Hokuto, are those four exploring the house?"

"Yep. I told you I heard them right."

"Yeah. They must have gotten back some of their children's curiosity." She snickered and her husband folded his paper down to look at her.

"…You set up a bunch of extra doors to trick them, didn't you?"

Neina just grinned.

-------------------------------------------------------------

**2)** (you can thank **jennamarie** for this inspiration, and probably a few in the future too!)

Tsuzuki concentrated, tongue between his teeth, as he bounced the ball from foot to knee to other knee to other foot to other foot in a choreographed pattern. Neina and Hokuto surprisingly had a closet full of sports equipment in their _real_ hall, not the hall of made up rooms they had been tricked into walking around the other day. It had evidently been Neina's introduction into the house rules.

"Rule one," she said sternly to them. "If a door is locked, that means you shouldn't go in. This counts for my weapons vault, my private study, and any other door that is freakin' locked! Understand?"

"Yes ma'am," they responded. Watari had let the screw driver be taken into custody before now.

"Rule number two: I showed all of you where the back yard is and the sports closet. If you have the urge to play, play out there. I have a lot of valuable things around here that could be broken easily. I can't move some of them, for different reasons, so I'm asking you to try and be careful, alright?"

"Okay."

"And rule number three: if you need help or have a question about the house, ask Hokuto or myself." Here she knelt down and smiled gently. "These bodies will probably take some getting used to. Take some time to get back into the groove of being small. We don't mind, really, so bother us if you have to. We're here to help you." They smiled back and she straightened and turned to her husband. "Anything to add?"

"Yeah. If you have to bother us, knock first. I'll be cleaning the basement if you need me." With that he stalked off.

"Yes, that was helpful, thank you," she said blandly. "Okay, I'm going to be working on cleaning up our attic while he handles the basement. Lunch will be at noon. Oh, and if you ever get lost or can't remember your way back, find a door with a white crescent shaped mark on it. All of those lead back to the front of the house and you can find your way from there. Are you sure you don't want me to show you around? I don't mind."

They had kindly declined and she had walked off to follow her husband. The sports closet had been found directly after that in the main hall and Tsuzuki had taken one of the soccer balls to play with. Unfortunately he had not followed Watari and Tastumi outside and was instead practicing his kicks in the front foyer. Hisoka had wisely decided to stay behind and try to coax him outside.

"Tsuzuki, we should really go outside for that. There's a really nice garden. Lots of flowers and stuff."

"Okay, just give me a sec! I'm about to break my personal best!"

"Tsuzuki, you really shouldn't. Remember what Neina said? About a lot of this stuff being breakable? And your coordination has been really off since the transformation."

"I don't know what you're talking about. I'm still as graceful and agile as always." Misjudging one of his kicks, the ball bounced up and struck him in the face before bouncing away.

"Graceful…?"

Tsuzuki stuck out his tongue and reclaimed the ball. "Why don't you try?"

Hisoka started as he tossed the ball to him, catching it with both arms. "But I don't know how to play soccer."

"S'okay, I'll teach you. First of all, you can't use your hands. Unless you're the goalie, then you can use them to stop the ball from entering the net. You've watched soccer games with me before, right?" Hisoka nodded and set the ball on the ground. "Now, just kick the ball over to me."

"Tsuzuki, I don't think practicing in the house is a good idea," he warned again.

"Don't worry, there's barely anything in this hall." He gestured and Hisoka grimaced, seeing several breakable objects in the general vicinity.

"Tsuzuki, lets just go outside, please?"

"Don't worry, Hisoka, I'll catch it! I have amazing coordination!"

"Yeah, amazing. That's why you can't fire a bow worth a damn, trip over your own trench coat once a day and we're all half our original height!" Tsuzuki whimpered, his hands thrown over his puppy ears. He looked rather pathetic under the glare of the kindergartener, which caused him to sigh and square up in front of the ball. "If I kick it to you once, will you promise to follow me outside?"

The brunette brightened immediately and nodded. Bringing his foot back Hisoka kicked the ball squarely and sent it flying in a curved path. Tsuzuki dove to catch it but ended up knocking it away. It spun like a jittery top until it bumped against a tall pedestal. Both boys sucked in a breath as it rocked, sending the black glass bottle on top over the side. Tsuzuki quickly dove again and managed to catch the bottle before it hit the polished tile floor. He breathed a sigh of relief and stood.

"See? I told you I could catch."

He laughed nervously under his best friend's glare. "You said you could catch the _ball_!"

"Well I wasn't expecting a hook shot!"

"A what?"

"Nothing. C'mon, let's put this back and go outside." _Mental note: Hisoka is most often right_. (You think he'd have learned by now…) Standing on his tiptoes, he tried to push the black bottle back onto the top of the pedestal. "I…can't quite reach!" he growled. He tried to get it balanced on the edge and then push it with his finger tips. He cried out when the bottle tipped to the side and began falling again. This time however Hisoka was beside him and caught the bottle with both his arms. "Th-thanks…"

Hisoka looked up at the ridiculously tall pedestal. "We're both too short now…"

Tsuzuki looked up as well before crouching. "Climb on my shoulders. We'll put it back and then get the hell out of here before your parents find out." The blonde hesitated before sitting on Tsuzuki's shoulders. The older boy grunted as he straightened and began swaying.

"H-hey! Keep it steady down there baka!"

"Okay, okay. Just put that stupid bottle thing back. Hey, don't lean forward so much!"

"Then move closer, I can't even reach the edge for here!"

Tsuzuki managed two steps forward to where the other could lean forward a little better. _I swear, I never thought I'd be in this situation…I always thought I'd be the one on top._

"You what?!!!" Hisoka yelled, pitching back as if to glare down at him. This in turn threw Tsuzuki off balance, and even as he tried to reclaim it, it only made things worse and they fell backwards.

Groaning, Tsuzuki sat up. "Hisoka, are you okay? Ow!" The last was from the sharp rap on his head his petite partner gave him.

"Y-you idiot! Pervert! Eight-year-olds should not be having those thoughts!"

"Hey, I'm only stuck in the body of an eight-year-old! My mind is still mine!"

"So that's what you think all the time…?" he growled.

_Don't answer that, it's a trap!_ His common sense warned him. _Damn empathy!_ Looking over past Hisoka, he blanched. "Oh crap! Your parents are gonna kill us! Again!"

Green eyes looked over his shoulder and blanched as well. The black glass bottle was now lying on the ground in several broken pieces. "Oh no…That's your fault!"

"What?!"

"You and your dirty thoughts!"

"You're the one that flew off the handle!"

"You're the one that said 'climb on my shoulders'!"

"You're the one that kicked the ball!"

"You said you'd catch it! And you're the one that wanted to play ball in here in the first place! I said we should go outside!"

They continued to argue, both not really caring that they were acting their apparent age. They were so into arguing they didn't notice the black mass of ooze coming from the bottle. It grew and bubbled, becoming as large as a jungle gat in a matter of seconds. It slithered toward them, gurgling loud enough to finally get their attention. Both young shinigami stared in shock as it reared up, ready to smother them.

There was the squeaking sound of lightening in the air before it struck the creature. It howled, creeping back away from them. Neina, having come down from the attic, vaulted over the banister of the upper floor to plant herself between the children and the ooze. There was a golden spear in her hand, the head sizzling with more pent up energy. "Back off!" The ooze monster gurgled again, slinking around her side. "I said back off! Get back in your…" She leaned over the side and caught sight of the shattered bottle. Pausing, she looked back at her son and his boyfriend. "I'll take care of you two in second." They gulped then cried out as the monster lunged.

Neina brought the spear around with out even looking behind her and planted it into the monster. "You, I'll deal with now." There was a fizzing sound and the monster began welling up once again before exploding across the room. It was only for the grace of Neina, who'd quickly erected a shield spell, that they weren't covered in black tar-like ooze.

Less than a minute later Hokuto was running down the hall. "What the hell is going…on?" He took in the splatter job across the walls with confusion before his eyes fell on his wife holding two of their charges by the ears with the spear resting in the crook of one of her elbows.

"Talk to your son and his partner in crime."

"Why is he just _my_ son when he does something like this?"

"Because it's better proof than DNA testing!" Hokuto bent down and pick up both of them around the middle, carrying them like barrels under each arm. Neina picked up one of the glass shards and sighed. "Damn. We were supposed to be watching that…whatever it was for Runa. She is not gonna be happy."

"Sorry…" both boys said from their confinement. "At least we're safe, right?" Tsuzuki added. Neina arched her eyebrows before tossing the glass over her shoulder and walking away. "Where's she going?"

"Well, you see, Neina learned from her master Sagara that when you break a rule, you should be accordingly punished. So she's probably going to get some equipment."

"Equipment?" they asked worriedly.

"Yep," her voice floated down the hall. "Since you two caused this—and I don't care how, even if the bottle commited suicide and jumped off the pedestal—you two are going to clean this up. _All of it!_" She set down a large bucket filled with soapy water, a mop and a basket of rags and brushes. "If you're lucky, you'll be done by dinner. I'll let you take a break for lunch." With that she picked up the spear and marched off down the hall, her husband right behind as the boys stared dejectedly at the mess.

"Harsh," he commented.

"You want to help them?"

"No, no. It's a good punishment. I know it's okay if they act like kids now, but we did warn them that some of this stuff was breakable." He glanced at the spear and smiled sadly. "You found Sagara's spear?"

"Yeah, up in the attic. I'd forgotten it was in with his old stuff. Saved those two just now."

"Like all the times it saved you?"

"Yeah…I figured I'd give it a more prominent place, somewhere in the weapons vault." She glanced back and grimaced. "Behind a foot of bullet proof glass and several cursed seals."

Hokuto laughed. "Oh, like you were never young?"

"I never released a monster sealed inside a bottle!"

"Really?"

She was silently for a moment and didn't look at him. "It was a trunk, not a bottle. And I had a punishment a lot worse than just cleaning up the mess!" He laughed again, putting his arm around her shoulder and kissing her flushed cheek. "What about you?"

He grinned and whispered in her ear. "Ever wonder why I never became a priest?"

-------------------------------------------

There we go. Just a couple of silly little vignettes.

REVIEW, por favor! I have to get ready for school. SUGGEST stuff too! As you can see, I do get inspiration from it.


	4. This little Gami goes to Market

**DesertQueen:** I believe I mentioned this already, but the book is not yet published. It sucks to loose your inspiration, I know. I's hopes you finds it soon! But I'm glad you love it.

**jennamarie:** (_lifts up rug_) Uh, it's okay, I don't have anything against people with kids. Oh and (_throws rug over shoulder and crushes spine in hug_) YOU ARE A GENIUS!! I love both story ideas and as you will see I've put them to use! THANK YOU!!!

**laustic:** Merci! Yes, since Tsuzuki does sometimes have…odd thoughts, I figured they wouldn't have changed with his size and apparent age as long as he retained his grown up mental state…which is still similar to a five year old. But I love him, it's just fun to mess with him.

-----------------------------------------------

(This story is a combination of a suggestion from _girl-13_ and _jennamarie_. That's why its so freakin' long!)

It had been one week since their great transformation and they were no taller or manlier. But they had managed to adapt somewhat. They would walk in pairs now so that if they awkwardly bumped into something, someone else was there to help correct it. Neina and Hokuto were doing their best to adapt to not only being 'parents' again, but having actually four other people in their house. As such, the rooms Neina had placed in for fun were removed and the boys were allowed to roam through the safer rooms freely. As such, they made themselves at home and roamed wherever and whenever they wished.

Hisoka, wanting to look through Neina's library, had dragged Tsuzuki along to 'keep him out of trouble'. By now he should've learned it's not that easy. It had been quiet for a good hour, with Hisoka reading in one of the plush arm chairs—a book about the Tokugawa shogunate—when a rather enlightening incident happened.

"HISOKA!!! HELP!!" Hisoka jumped out of his seat and nearly out of his skin, knocking the book in his lap to the floor as he looked around wildly.

"Tsuzuki?!"

"Up here!" Hisoka looked up and blanched too see the miniature version of his partner dangling from the top of one of the upper shelves, the rolling ladder a good five feet away.

"Tsuzuki, what happened?" he groaned, running up and vaulting over the railing to the next level.

"I-I saw an interesting book and I thought I could read with you, but it was really up high, so I grabbed the ladder and-and…the ladder left without me!!" he cried. He was flailing now, with his hands still securely clamped to the edge of the shelf.

"Tsuzuki just fly down!" he yelled up.

"I tried! It's not working!"

"What? Okay, just hold on, I'll fly up and help you!" _It's only fifteen feet up, I can fly him down easy._ Jumping up, he hung in the air for about two seconds before falling again. Frowning, he pushed off again only to meet with the same result. "Uh oh…"

"What 'uh oh'?! Uh oh is never good!"

"C-calm down…I…I'll just move the ladder back over to you." The blonde quickly ran over to the ladder and took hold, attempting to push it. It would however not budge for some reason. He was getting rather frustrated when the door leading out into the main hall opened.

"What's going on in here?" Hokuto asked. "What are you two…ack!" The older man (well, older at the moment) leapt across the room in three bounds, sprang up the bookcase, grabbed Tsuzuki and landed on his feet in precisely 3 seconds flat. "What the hell do you think you were doing up there, huh?!" he yelled, holding the boy far from him to look him in the face.

Tsuzuki sniffled and huffed. "I-I just wanted a book!" he wailed. Hokuto winced and sighed, setting him down. "The-the ladder wou-wouldn't stay."

"Really? Damn, it must be broken again. But why didn't you—"

"Fly?" Hisoka finished. "He couldn't. And neither could I."

He paused at that, stormy eyes switching between the two young boys. "Neither one of you?" They shook their heads. "Can you use magic?

They looked at one another before Tsuzuki pulled a sutra from inside his shirt, kept their from habit more than need. He attempted to erect a quick shield and the sutra did glow for a second before it fizzled out in a small show of sparks.

"Ahh! I can't use my fuda!"

Hisoka attempted next but with similar results before he let the paper float down. "I can't either. Why?!"

"What's next is we go to the kitchen. Neina and the others will be there and may be able to shed some light on the subject."

They navigated the halls until they came to the kitchen, brightly lit by the many windows. Watari and Tatsumi sat on bar stools at the counter, watching the taller woman opening the fridge and the cupboards and writing on a tablet in her hands. She looked up as the walked in and smiled.

"You have wonderful timing, I was just about to come and find you."

"Why? And what're you doing?"

"Making a list and checking it twice. Feeding six people is kind of hard. Glad we don't have much of a budget in the way. What's up with you three?"

"There's a problem with the ladder in the library. I'm worried we might have another gremlin infestation." The four mini-gamis looked at one another in perplexity as Neina grimaced.

"Again? Damn. Alright, I'll add another half gallon of milk, a toaster oven, and a hammer to the list. I hate those little buggers!" She turned back to the cupboard, moving things around with the hand that held her pencil.

"I said 'might', lovely. And that's not the big problem here. You see, in the library—"

"Is there anything thing you need? Oh never mind, you can pick it up while we're there."

"What?"

"You're coming. All of you," she added, sweeping the boys with a smile.

"Oh no! I'm not going shopping with you."

"What do you mean? You've gone shopping with me before."

"Not with for kids I haven't. I've seen children in supermarkets, and I am not going there."

"I assure you, Hokuto-san, we will be on our best behavior. Need I remind you we only _resemble_ children? We still have the mentality of our former selves," Tatsumi grated.

Hokuto arched his eyebrows and looked at each child in turn, beginning with his son. _Angsty and antisocial, though I still love him…_ Then Tatsumi, _stern, overbearing mini-Hitler…_Tsuzuki, _bouncy, yippy, and has the attention span of a TV addicted squirrel…_And finally Watari, _crazy bouncy pyromaniac and fellow TV addicted squirrel with a weird female complex._ "Is that supposed to make me feel better?"

-------------------------------------------

After much coaxing they were all finally able to get to the store. For Hokuto it had come down to two options: come and help make sure nothing went wrong, or stay with the kids at home and be outnumbered. Not much of an option really.

"Okay, stick together please. I'd prefer to get what we need and go," Neina said. She dug into her purse as her husband pushed the cart, slumped over and sulking as he did which was rather unattractive given his height. "Right, first we need bread, about two loaves of sliced and a baguette for dinner…" She pivoted with out looking, startling several other shoppers out of her way.

The smell of flour and other baking goods wafted through the air mixed with the obvious hint of certain sweets like chocolate and cream. A dreamy look came over Tsuzuki's face as he followed his nose. Coming to the source of his euphoric mind number, he pressed his face against the display glass where a veritable hoard of glistening sugar treats. He drooled slightly and looked pleadingly up at Neina as she picked up a ready made baguette and stuffed it into the cart.

"Neina, can I get something?" he asked.

She eyed the confections and frowned. "No, Tsuzuki. I'm fixing dinner right when we get home and you'll spoil your appetite."

"No I won't! Haven't you ever seen me eat?"

Neina smirked and Watari giggled at the comment while the rest managed to look somewhat amused. "Indeed I have. Then how about this: No, because I don't want you anymore hopped on sugar than you already are naturally." With that she started away again, ignoring the boy's indignant protests and pleas. Taking out the list again she scanned over it and muttered to herself. She still didn't notice if anyone was ever in front of her and just plowed straight ahead with no concern until she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Uh, Neina?"

"Yes?"

"We came in with four kids, right?"

"…yes, why?"

"Weeeellll…"

Neina turned and looked at her adorable little charges-minus one. The other three smiled worriedly up at her, jeweled eyes crinkling in what they hoped her guiltless expressions. "Where's Tsuzuki?" she asked lowly.

"Uh…who's Tsuzuki?" Watari tried.

Neina knelt down and narrowed her eyes at the remaining boys. "Tell me or I use his gorgonzola pasta recipe he showed me for dinner."

"Bakery," they all said at once, pointing back the way they came.

She sighed and rose. "Keep an eye on them, I'll be right back. Keep shopping."

"Right. Wait, what?!" It was too late, she had marched briskly off back through the crowds. Hokuto looked back to the remaining shinigamis and sweated. _Don't be afraid. They can smell fear!_ He told himself.

Tsuzuki meanwhile was implementing his master plan (and I use the term very loosely). He figured that if he took one of the pastries and slipped it into the cart when it was near full already, Neina would never notice and pay for it without thinking.

"Excuse me," he said, standing on his toes in order to look over the counter at the baker. Said baker turned around, looking left and right before looking down quizzically. "I'd like a brownie please. One of the ones with nuts."

The baker leaned over the counter to regard the ebon headed boy bemusedly. "You got money to pay for it, kid?"

"No my, uh, mom(?) does." That felt weird, referring to Neina as mom. No wonder it was taking Hisoka a while.

"Is your mommy around?" he asked snidely. Tsuzuki shook his head. "Then no dice, kid."

"What?! Why not?!"

"No money no brownie. Either you pay me here or a responsible adult comes and places the order. Store policy."

"B-but I…that is, she's going to pay!"

"Not if she don't make the order herself. Them's the breaks, kid." With that he turned and began to work at kneading bread dough again as he had done before he was interrupted.

Tsuzuki huffed and turned to lean his back against the counter, folding his arms. He slid down until his rump was on the floor, folding his legs as he sulked. A sudden buzzing jolted him and he peered around the corner of the counter to see the mean baker taking a new batch of cookies from the oven. His mouth watered as he watched the steaming confections set on the counter. He straightened however when the baker suddenly went through the doors to the back, leaving the tray of lovely sweets open and unguarded.

_Just one. I'll take one and stick it in the sack. I'll make sure it gets paid for, so it's not stealing. _Nodding to himself he got up and snuck into the kitchen. Now, keep in mind he is used to having the ability to heal quickly and was never really very skilled in the culinary arts. Thus, it had not occurred to him that picking up a cookie fresh from the oven would burn his hand and hurt for longer than a second. Howling at the sudden pain in his palm, he let go of the cookie and stumbled back, knocking a sack of flower from the counter right onto his head. He blinked and coughed as the fine powder settled on and around him, shaking it from his tousled hair. Hearing the sound of someone returning from the back of the kitchen, he stood and ran away quickly.

Less than two minutes later Neina walked up, eyes scanning for her lost mini-gami. Spotting a mop of dark black hair she marched over and took him by the shoulder. "There you are! You are in so much deep shi—" she cut herself off as wide brown eyes set in a round pudgy face looked up at her. Face faulting, she let go and backed up as the other child began sniffing. "Oh, wrong kid, sorry!" She skittered off, not wanting to deal with an angry parental unit should the child begin crying.

Sighing, she rubbed her temples and looked up to see the baker grumbling as he carried a broom behind the counter. "Hey, you seen a kid with black hair and purple eyes running around?"

"Oh, so he's yours?" he groused, pausing with the broom in his fist.

"Hell no! Well, I suppose in a manner of speaking yes actually. So have you seen him?"

"Yeah, he was trying to pawn a brownie off me earlier. He ran off somewhere, and to tell the truth, I don't give a rat's ass where. Now if you'll excuse, I gotta clean up all this spilled flour!"

Neina looked over the counter to see that indeed a sack of flour had apparently exploded all over the floor. Narrowing her eyes, she traced the small lines of fallen powder out past the kitchen exit and off into the store. _I wonder…_

Meanwhile Hokuto was in trouble. He had soldiered forward with his wife's list in his hands in an attempt to continue their mission only to run into a small snag.

"Hey, hold up!" Hokuto rocked to stop with the cart and looked back to see Hisoka weaving past the people to catch up to him.

"You okay? What's holding you up?"

Hisoka glared up at him. "What's holding me up is the fact that your legs are longer! We've been asking you to slow down for the last two isles!"

"Oh…sorry. You want to ride in the cart?"

Hisoka turned a mean shade of red before looking away and folding his arms. "I'm not a little kid." The older man stared at him blankly before he glared further. "You know what I mean."

Hokuto laughed. "Yeah, I know." He looked around and frowned. "Uh…where's Watari and Tatsumi?"

Hisoka shrugged. "Tatsumi stopped to look at something a while back and Watari…well, he just kind of went off on his own."

"And you didn't stop them?!"

He shrugged again. "I'm not the 'responsible adult' here now, am I?"

The dark haired man smacked a hand to his forehead and drew it down over his face in frustration. "You're definitely your mother's son, no one else has ever given me this kind of a headache," he grumbled. "Right, we'd better find them before she finds us. Otherwise there will be a lot of men hitting on her at my funeral."

Tatsumi was staring up at one of the shelves with a pensive glare. He knew from experience that the items with better prices were kept up top, an obvious ply by the market to encourage the shoppers to by the higher priced ones more with in their reach. It had never been a problem shopping before since he had been more than tall enough to reach up and pluck them from the shelf. But now he was less than half his size and the shelves were taunting him for it.

He tried to force one of the items from the top with one of his shadows and it tipped for a moment before stabilizing. Frowning, he tried again but it didn't even move this time. Now that was puzzling. His shadows appeared to be feeling lazy today.

Looking around, he spotted one of the market's employees stocking potted meat. Walking over he pulled on his apron to get his attention. "Excuse me, sir?"

The employee looked down and smiled at the blue-eyed boy pulling at his apron. "Yes, can I help you son?"

Tatsumi hmphed at being called 'son' but pointed up to the top shelf. "Can you pass me one of those cans of salted squid?" (_a/n_: thnx for the line, _jennamarie_ )

The clerk blinked and looked at the cans he was talking about before looking back. "Salted…squid?"

"Yes please."

The clerk plucked a can and handed it down to him unsurely. "You sure this is what you wanted to see?"

"Yes. It's reasonably priced."

"Um, yeah. You, uh, on a budget?"

"Not according to Neina-san, but that's no reason to waste money foolishly."

"That's quite a grown up attitude when it comes to money," he laughed weakly.

Tatsumi eyed him with disdain. "I'm told I'm the bureaucrat from hell with ice water in my veins quite often by my colleagues," he deadpanned. The store worker gave another waning laugh before rising and quickly walking away from the strange child. Tatsumi rolled his eyes before looking back at the top shelf in obvious annoyance. There was still more to collect. Grunting he decided to take matters in his own hands.

Neina, in the meantime, was following the trail of flour to a nearby isle. Glancing up at the sign only confirmed her suspicion. Isle 4: **Candy**. Sighing she walked down and prayed silently that he wasn't causing anymore damage. "Tsuzuki? Are you down here?" There was a bang and a few muffled curses and she moved over to a small alcove in the wall between two shelves somewhat shielded by a large display of candy bars. "Tsuzuki?"

"…yeah," came the rather pathetic reply.

"You better have a good explanation for running off," she said sternly.

"…I wanted something sweet?" he said hopefully.

"Not good enough."

"Didn't think so."

She sighed again and crouched down to move behind the display with him. She was surprised to find that he'd actually found a mini storeroom cut in behind the candy shelves where empty boxes had been tossed haphazardly. Tsuzuki was sitting on one of the boxes with his feet dangling a few feet from the ground and looking pretty sorry for himself. He was still covered in white from head to foot and Neina suddenly found it hard not to laugh.

"You…you look…you look like Casper!" she laughed, hand over her mouth. Tsuzuki sank further in on himself, his face tingeing the tiniest bit though you couldn't see it through the layer of white.

"I only wanted something sweet…" he mumbled. Neina's gaze softened but the smile seemed to grow.

"Don't you like my desserts, Tsuzuki?"

"Of course," Tsuzuki's head shot up. "They're really good Neina! I…I was just kind of hungry so…"

Neina knelt down in front of him and poked him in the forehead gently. "Did you know I only make dessert cause your there?"

"Huh?"

She shrugged. "I like baking and making sweets, but I'm not that partial to them myself. I know Hisoka isn't too keen on a lot of sugar, as with Tatsumi. Hokuto and Watari like them but they don't crave them the way you do. But you're a sweet fiend, as I've learned, so I figured as long as your stuck like this I should give you at least give you one perk." _And, though I will never, ever ever ever admit it even under torture, you are freakin' adorable as a kid especially when you get all giddy over food. And I know Hisoka appreciates you being happy._

"R-really?" he asked, his eyes glistening with the sudden feeling of being special in that way.

"Pretty much, yeah. So, think you can be patient enough to wait until we get home?" He nodded and looked a little brighter. "Good, cause your not getting dessert for the rest of the week."

"What?!"

"You tried to steal something from that bakery, didn't you? And then spilled the flour all over yourself?"

He visibly deflated. "I was going to pay for it…"

"No, more than likely _I_ was going to pay for it. If your going to act like a child, I'll reprimand you like one. You'll get your dessert back Sunday night. Now stand up and dust yourself off." Tsuzuki grumbled under his breath but stood and began wiping the flour off. He yelped as the hand he'd used to grab the cookie scraped against the material of his shirt. "What's wrong?" she asked, taken aback by the sudden outburst.

"I burned my hand…" he whined.

"What? Let me see," she took his hand and stared at the angry red blisters scattered across his palm. "Why haven't you healed?"

"I guess my healing powers are gone too."

"Too?"

"Yeah. Earlier Hisoka and I found out our power to fly was gone. I think Hokuto was trying to tell you before we left."

"That's not good…why is that happening?"

"Don't know," he mumbled. He looked up and rubbed the tears from the sting from his wide purple eyes. "Can you heal me?"

Neina winced visibly before looking down. "No. I can't heal other people, only myself."

"Really?" Tsuzuki asked in surprise.

"Yes. When I was younger…I traded that ability for more power. The power to take my revenge later." She looked down and away, unable to meet his eyes. "There have been many times I've regretted that decision. Where I've had to watch people die, people I could've saved, people I should've saved, all for my selfishness when I was younger."

"Oh…" he looked down as well, understanding that feeling better than she might've thought.

Reaching into her pocket she pulled out a handkerchief and carefully tied it into a makeshift bandage. "If it doesn't heal by the time we get home, I'll do some proper first aid. Kelton taught me that much in the guard. And let's remember to tell Watari, he'll want to look into why you're powers are on the frits."

He nodded and finished patting himself down with his good hand. Walking out of their little alcove he looked up and grinned. "I guess we just had a little moment, huh?"

Neina arched her eyebrows but smirked. "I suppose. But your still a baka, getting your hand burned trying to steal a cookie."

"Hey!"

She laughed, walking off to search for the rest of their makeshift family unit. Tsuzuki looked longingly at the candy around him before sighing and following. It didn't take long before they heard a small commotion from the canned good isle.

"What's going on?"

One of the shoppers turned back to her, obviously distraught. "There's a boy climbing up on the shelves! He's managed to reach the storage boxes on top!"

They looked up and Neina cocked her head. "Hey, does that look like…Tatsumi!?" the last came out in a horrified screech that got everyone's attention, including the blue-eyed boy up top. "Tatsumi, what the hell are you doing up there?"

The mini bureaucrat blinked. "Bargain hunting," he replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Get down! Now, before you break your neck!"

He narrowed his eyes at her in an annoyed fashion. The crowd was beginning to disperse, figuring that the boy's guardian would take care of it. "I assure you, Neina-san, I'm perfectly fine. It's not as if a simple fall such as this could cause lasting harm to me."

"But Tatsumi, what if your powers have gone all wonky too?" Tsuzuki asked in concern.

" 'Gone all wonky'?"

"Yeah. This morning, Hisoka and me couldn't fly, and now my hand won't heal." He held up the aforementioned injured appendage. "And since you're smaller, you're up a lot higher than you would be normally."

Tatsumi frowned and snorted. "I told you, I'm perfectly fi—" He made a move as if to hoist himself up to the very top of the shelf when his hand slipped. Tsuzuki gasped and there was a look of utter shock on the boy's face as he began to fall and was unable to activate his power to fly. _I really can't fly…_ He braced himself to hit the ground only to feel to arms catch him, give out and drop him the rest of the way onto something firm but softer than the tiled floor. Looking around dazedly he realized that Neina had actually caught him but had collapsed under the sudden pressure. "Neina, are you alright?!"

She groaned as she sat up, Tatsumi hurriedly climbing off her lap. "My back hurts now and I think I sprained my wrist. But, better me than you under these circumstances."

"Why couldn't I fly?" the secretary asked, looking up at where he had been moments ago. He never thought that a small fifteen foot drop would be so heart pounding and Tsuzuki could relate.

"We don't know. We figured it would be best to tell Watari as soon as we find him. Where is he anyway?"

"I'm not sure. I, uh, sort of let my eye wander…" he admitted with a small blush.

"And here I thought you were the responsible one," she muttered. "Right. Time to track down the others." Standing, she discreetly let a green flame dance across her fractured wrist and mend the bone. Walking off she made sure to keep an eye on both of them as they searched for the missing members of their party.

Hisoka sat and waited by the check out lines. His father had told him to wait there as he gathered the rest of the groceries and searched for the two lost boys he was supposed to keep a tab on. This was mostly due to the fact Hisoka was having trouble keeping up with his long strides through the crowds. Unfortuneately, he had left him with no protection against his next great foe.

"Well, aren't you just the cutest!" He looked up and paled even further than his normal coloring to see an entire ring of woman ranging from highschool girls to elderly blue haired grannies surrounding him. "Just look at those eyes! And that hair! Someone's going to be a beautiful little lady when they grow up!" one rather large woman in a purple track suit said.

Hisoka reddened considerably and looked down. "I'm a boy," he gritted.

"Oh." The woman at least had the decency to look embarrassed but that didn't stop one of the younger girls from suddenly snatching him up and rubbing her cheek against him.

"That's even better! You'll be such a cute boy when you're older! I wish you were older now!" Hisoka honestly felt like he was drowning. All the women began cuddling him and pinching his cheeks, one even asking how much he was. It was possibly the most humiliating moment of his life and all he could do was fuss and try to order them to stop. Unfortunately they found this even more adorable and only up their ministrations. The sweetness and utter gooiness of their emotions was making him ill and open to further attacks of snuggling.

"Excuse me," a low voice said in a monotone, "But may I have my son back please?" Hisoka looked up, never more grateful in his life to see Hokuto standing there eyeing the cuddle fest with obvious chagrin. The women reddened and the one holding him reluctantly handed him over to the handsome man in the white coat. Hokuto took him and pressed him to his chest before turning and walking away with the cart without another word.

"You're one popular little guy, huh?"

"Do not. Let them. Near me. Again," he hissed. Hokuto chuckled, the sound sending a small vibration into the boys frame. He'd never been carried like this before, Nagare having been more than a little distant especially once his powers had shown. The calmer affection the man radiated was a welcome relief from the flock of cuteness vultures.

"Oh praise the gods, I see your mother. And she has Tsuzuki and Tatsumi. Maybe we can leave this insane asylum now."

"What about Watari?"

"What about me?"

They both jumped as the small manic scientist appeared next to them as if from thin air. "When did you…? What have you been doing?"

The blonde shrugged, taking off and cleaning his glasses nonchalantly. "Just browsing. I was curious as to what they had in the store."

"Right…browsing."

"There you all are!" Neina said as the other three walked up. "And you got all the groceries! Thank goodness, I think we can leave now."

---------------------------------------------

After dinner the boys had gone off to do their own things before bed and Neina and Hokuto sat watching TV.

"Lord, I never thought going to the super market would be so stressful," Neina said.

"Tell me about it. I almost had a heart attack when Tatsumi went missing. Hopefully Watari will figure out what's going on soon."

"Yes…Speaking of Watari, do you really think he was just 'browsing'. He seems to have a penchant for getting into trouble at any age."

"True, but nothing seems to be wrong…Isn't that the market on TV?"

The both looked up in time to catch the reporter in mid statement. "…and no one knows how or why the coffee of this local market has begun to make people hallucinate or why the soda machines have suddenly begun leaking a strange blue liquid. Police are now investigating into whether this is a new form of chemical warfare or someone's foolish prank. Thus far several people have been reported to have 'switched genders', believing themselves to be the opposite gender of their body when it is more than obvious by the worried expressions of their spouses and loved ones this is not the case. We will bring you more as we are updated."

They were both silent for a moment before rising simultaneously and shouting down the hall. "WATARI!!!!"

---------------------------------------------------

Kind of an abrupt ending but I had to end the madness.

REVIEW and SUGGEST STUFF!! As you can see, it helps!


	5. The Secret Language of Flowers

Okay, sorry if I've been updating at rather strange times lately. Finals are coming up and so is graduation so things are getting rather hectic.

**Laustic:** Yeah, last chapter was pretty eventful, huh? I was worried I wouldn't be able to get it all in (that's why Watari's part was cut so much).

**DesertQueen:** It's okay. I am working on getting it published though, so cross your fingers I'll figure that out soon. Thank you, as always, for the support.

**Kaouri18**: That's Hokuto's mind for you. My friend is the original TV addicted squirrel, btw. And yes, we all wish we could cuddle Hisoka, and no, Watari will never quit! Not as long as I'm writing for him!

**Jennamarie:** Sorry bout your spine…And yay for mini-gamis!! Oh yes, it shall get worse. Not a whole lot on that yet, that's for next chapter. And everyone loves those descriptions! I'm surprised, really, I didn't know they would go over so well. Glad to hear you've never had to go through something quite like this. Writing this made me question whether I want kids or not. But all for the sake of humor, right?

In honor of mother's day (last Sunday) I wrote this. Couldn't get it posted till now, but oh well.

---------------------------------------------------

"Hisoka!!!!"

The blonde jolted when his name was yelled, groaning when he realized he was still in bed. Turning over he pulled the blankets closer about his small form and tried to go back to sleep from whatever dream he'd been having.

"Hisoka!!!!"

_Persistent dream…_he thought groggily.

When his door banged open with a resounding report he gasped and sat up.

"Hisoka!!!!! Get up!!!"

"Tsuzuki?! What the hell?" his voice cracked from it's sudden use.

"Hisoka, do you realize what today is?!"

Green eyes blinked at him as they tried to focus. "Uh…Sunday?"

"No! I mean, yes, but it's not just any Sunday!"

"Oh?" he yawned.

"It's Mother's Day, Hisoka!!"

He blinked again. "Mother's day?"

"Yeah! You know, the holiday where your supposed to spend the day with your mom and make her feel special and loved and do stuff for her."

"…There's a whole day just for that? And that's why you woke me up?"

Tsuzuki frowned and took the dazed boy's face in his hands. "Hisoka, think about it. It's Mother's Day. And you do happen to have a mother."

He yawned again and rubbed the side of his rumpled head. "So…Oh! You think I should do something for Neina, is that it?"

"Yes! She's your mom after all. Don't you want to show her you love her?" He felt the porcelain skin under his palms heat up with embarrassment.

"D-do not!!"

"Hisoka…" Tsuzuki sighed. "Fine, do you at least want to show her you don't hate her? I mean, as long as your in a little kid's body, it's not embarrassing to act a little sentimental, is it?"

Hisoka was silent for a moment before he snorted. "Get out and let me change, baka."

-------------------

"So…what do you get a mom on mother's day?"

"I dunno. Hokuto was the one who told me what day it was, I've never had to do it before. It's a relatively new holiday."

"What?! You dragged me out of bed for a holiday you don't even know how to celebrate!?"

"Calm down, Soka-chan!" he said soothingly as he backed up from the six-year-old's wrath. "Haven't you ever…oh, right," he trailed off. Bringing up the 'mother' he had known before now was not a good idea and more than likely he'd never celebrated the holiday at the Kurosaki household. "Maybe we should talk to Tatsumi or Watari. They might know what to do."

The boy took a deep breath before whirling around and stalking off. "Fine! Let's go find them!" _Stupid useless holiday!! If kids can't show their appreciation for their mother more than one day out of the year then they might as well throw themselves off a--…I'm going stop that mental rant before it gets anymore hypocritical._

Watari and Tatsumi were both in the kitchen fixing a small breakfast for them when the other two walked in. "Morning!" Watari said brightly, feeding 003 a small piece of his cereal. Tatsumi was glaring at his cup of grapefruit juice as if the penetrating gaze would somehow magically turn it into a cup of coffee.

"Morning! Hey, have you guys ever celebrated Mother's Day before?" Tsuzuki grabbed a muffin from the counter and tossed one of it's brother's to Hisoka.

Tatsumi looked up with his gaze still narrowed. "Why do you ask?"

"'Cause today's Mother's Day and Hisoka doesn't know what to do!"

"Neither do you," he grumbled.

"Watari?" Tsuzuki asked around a mouth full of muffin.

"Nope. My mom wasn't home a whole lot as a kid so I never really celebrated it."

"Oh…"

Watari shrugged. "Eh, no big deal. Although I do think I'd be a much better mother than her!" 003 hooted in agreement and fluttered up to perch on top of his head. "But I know a few things. Like breakfast in bed. Kid used to do that a lot for mother's day."

"She's probably already eaten," Hisoka muttered.

"Actually she hasn't." Everyone looked up as Hokuto entered, discreetly stuffing something into his pocket. "She received an emergency call this morning from Kanohe. Evidently there's something wrong in…one of your districts. Since you three can't work she's been put in charge of it as a direct order from Enma."

"And she didn't refuse?" Tatsumi asked, remember her last reaction to Enma's request/orders.

"She only refused last time because it involved going to see Verdette. Other than that, she's not foolish enough to make one of the great kings angry. He may respect her, but that doesn't mean he's less powerful. On the contrary, he could roast her butt good."

"Oh…" they all said. They hated to admit it but they'd begun to wonder if Neina was that strong that the king of Hades would be so delicate with her. Enma would not be pleased.

"Anyway, she went right off to work after getting the call about an hour ago. She didn't even eat breakfast and I think she has no intention too knowing the way she works."

Hisoka looked down in consideration for a moment. "Okay…breakfast would be good then. She should eat."

"I'll help!" Tsuzuki chirped. He was met with silent stares for a few moments.

"I think it better Watari and I help with that part, Tsuzuki," Tatsumi said calmly. Tsuzuki pouted before the blue-eyed boy smiled. "Why don't you help Hisoka pick some flowers? That's a good gift too. Watari and I can handle a small breakfast."

"You can pick them from the garden out back, she won't mind. I have a few things I need to do today too so I'll talk to all of you later." Hokuto walked off, his hand going back into his pocket.

Tsuzuki had brightened immediately at the mention of flowers and grabbed Hisoka's hand.

Neina's garden was quite extensive. She did however prefer the 'natural' approach—that is she would plant something, watch over it until it was strong enough, and then let it go wild. Or rather grow wild. This had the effect of making the back yard (in Avalon) look like something between a tea garden and a rain forest choked with vegetation.

"Okay, let's find just the right flowers!" Tsuzuki shot his fist into the air in determination.

"Can't we just pick a bunch and give'em to her?" Hisoka muttered.

"No! We need to choose the right ones. I mean you can't give her something like foxglove!"

"Why, because it's poisonous?"

"Well, there's that, but also because it says 'insincerity'."

Hisoka blinked. "It does what now?"

"It says insincerity. That's what it means."

"It does?"

"Yeah!...oh, I guess you don't know certain flowers have different meanings, huh?"

He shook his head and looked out over the sprawling bushes and trees and trellises. "So then, what should I give her?"

Tsuzuki rubbed his chin, also looking out over the vast expanse of garden. "Hmm…well, day lilies are good. Their actually the Chinese symbol for mother." He picked a few and held them together as he kept looking. "Oh, and lilies of the valley too! They mean the return of happiness, completion and purity and sweetness! Hokuto said Neina likes lilies the best so having more than one kind is good. Now what else…"

In the end pansies (recipient is being thought about), a few fern fronds (Sincerity, magic, fascination, confidence, shelter), and a gardenia (You're lovely, secret love, joy, sweet love, good luck) joined the bouquet. It was a rather odd bunch but as Tsuzuki arranged them in a vase with a green ribbon tied around it they began to look amazingly lovely.

"Where'd you learn all of this?" Hisoka asked as he watched him lovingly arrange the flowers.

"My sister taught me. She loved flowers so I just kind of picked it up. She wanted to own a flower shop one day…" he trailed off with a distant look on his face. Hisoka frowned and worried his lower lip.

_Did I bring up something painful?_ "Uh, well, thank you. They look really beautiful." He picked up the vase and stood to walk in once again.

"Uh, Hisoka?" He turned back, green eyes questioning. "H-here." He held out a single primrose, his hand shaking the tiniest bit.

Hisoka shifted the vase to one arm and took the flower in his freed hand. He looked between the flower and the vase in confusion. "Where do I put it?"

"N-no. It's, uh…it's for you," he finished quietly and looked down at his shoes.

"Oh…" he blushed and looked down at the blossom. Still blushing he stowed it in the pocket of his shirt. "What does it mean?"

Tsuzuki looked up and smiled to see the flower now a safe passenger aboard his shirt. "Mmm…not telling."

"What?! Tsuzuki, tell me."

"Nope. You'll just have to figure it out for yourself."

"Tsuzuki, just tell me what the damn flower means—"

"Hey, are you guys going to take her breakfast or not?" Watari yelled from the door. "It's getting cold and you've been out here forever. Oooh, those look nice!"

"Yes, very nice," Tatsumi smiled. "We'll help you carry all of it up."

_Help me…_The started back to the house, Hisoka looking down as they went.

"Is something wrong, Kurosaki-kun?" Tatsumi asked.

Hisoka looked up and frowned a little. "All of you…helped me with this. It's not that I'm not grateful but…she is _my_ mom. Shouldn't I have done something on my own for her?"

Tatsumi looked considerate for a moment before smiling rather wistfully. "Give her your time then." Green eyes blinked into blue as they paused before the door. "When I was growing up, that's all my mother really asked of me. Spend some time with her, make some memories. It will mean a lot to her I'll bet."

Hisoka pursed his lips and stepped through the door as he thought about that. He knew Tatsumi's mother was a touchy subject for some reason so he didn't want to press the older man, er, boy into more detail of what he should do. The primrose was forgotten for the moment as the four boys carefully brought the tray of food and the vase to Neina's private study. They were told not to go in unless it was an emergency so they tarried at the door for a few moments until they had the courage to knock for him.

"Yes? What is it?" Taking a deep breath the youngest boy turned the knob and pushed the door open. "Hisoka? Is everything alright?" Neina looked up from a book she was carefully studying, her reading glasses slipping down her nose as she looked at him. She was still dressed in her dark blue satiny pajamas, a silken rose pink kimono with white water lilies growing along the cloth draped of her shoulders with the voluminous sleeves trailing beneath the wiry frame of her arm.

Hisoka gulped and hesitated. "Uh…I just came to give you…to…" He stumbled as a rough push jolted him forward. Glaring over his shoulder at the other three that were shooing him inside he walked forward until he stood before her. Taking the vase out from behind his back he held it up to her. "Happy Mother's Day, Neina."

The woman's eyes widened as she took in the words and the sight of the flowers. The shocked look turned to one of warm appreciation as she reached down and took the flowers. "Hisoka…These are beautiful, thank you." She took the flowers carefully, handling them like she would a fine piece of glass work, and brought them to her nose to take in the scent. "Very nice…gardenia and lily work well together. Who would've thought?"

"We, uh, have breakfast too," he stated. He turned and grabbed the tray from Watari and Tatsumi. He had to step carefully to keep it steady as he walked back.

"Oh, Hisoka, you didn't have to—" Neina's stomach chose that moment to speak up with a loud gurgle. Blushing she hid her face in the bouquet. "Ah…never mind. I guess I am hungry." She set the flowers down and the book off to the side as he slid the tray in place. "Yum…looks good!"

"The others helped…" he muttered.

"Oh?" She eyed a piece of toast rather dubiously. Hisoka saw this and smirked a little.

"Tsuzuki helped with the flowers."

"Oh thank goodness. I mean…" The laughed a little even as the spluttering was heard from behind the door. "And a card too?" Hisoka perked at that and watched as she picked up a folded piece of paper from the tray. "Ah, I recognize Watari's signature style. Wonder what it says." Opening the card she gasped as a dozen butterflies suddenly leapt off the page to flutter across the room. She laughed as she watched them flutter to the various corners of the study, setting the now blank page down. "Well, good to see _that_ ability hasn't left him just yet. How are you all doing?"

He shrugged and looked over at one of the butterflies on the wall. "Better. Our powers are a little more stable but they still fade sometimes." _A lot of the time, lately, but you don't need to know that._

"I see…Well, this is very nice Hisoka. Thank you. All of you," she added through the door. She picked up a piece of toast and crunched into it, turning a few pages in a book on a stand next to her as she chewed.

"What're you reading?"

"Gnomish law," she sighed when she swallowed. "Extremely boring and complicated, but Enmma demanded…asked that I help him with this."

Hisoka tilted his head, watching as she chewed a little more tersely. Neina did not like being told what to do. "Do you…want some company?"

She paused in her skimming and chewing, turning to look at him as she swallowed. "You offering?" she asked.

He looked over his shoulder to see the three other mini-gami's smile and nod (Tatsumi) or give him a grin and a thumbs up ( Watari and Tsuzuki) before they shut the door and ran off. "Yeah, if you don't mind."

She smiled and wiped at the crumbs around her lips. "Of course I don't mind! Pull up a chair and—" Neina was stunned speechless as the small boy actually pulled himself up into her lap and situated himself comfortably there. She blinked rapidly before smiling. "Feeling rather bold today, aren't we?"

Hisoka frowned and crossed his arms. "Don't get used to it. This is a one time only thing, understand?"

"Perfectly," she laughed. Turning taking another bite of toast, she snickered again and brushed the shower of crumbs from his ash blond hair. "Sorry. Messy eater." A few moments passed as he looked through one book and her through another before she caught his attention. "These really are quite beautiful. Such an odd combination though…"

"They all mean something different."

"Mean something?"

"Yeah, Tsuzuki showed me." He pointed to each one and explained their meanings, mumbling around some of the more sentimental ones.

"Wow…I love them even more now." She smiled down at him then seemed to catch her attention to something else. "What about this one?" She pointed to the primrose in his shirt pocket with an inquiring smile.

"Tsuzuki gave that one to me. But he wouldn't tell me what it means," he finished crossly.

"Huh…Well, I may have a book on this 'flower speech' in the library. God knows I have one on everything else. You could look it up later." He looked up and smiled back, nodding a little.

The rest of the day was just as peaceful. Hisoka remained in her lap, even reclaiming it after they'd gone down for lunch and dinner, and helped her finish five more books on Gnomish law and various other obscure things. They'd joked about somethings, ogled others and just down right written off some things as 'did not need to know'. What especially caught them were the Gnomish marriage traditions. Hisoka still felt that a garden hoe was not a suitable honeymoon gift.

It was late into the evening when Neina yawned and closed the sixth book. "It's late, Hisoka. I think we should turn in. Hisoka?" She looked down and smile to see him dozing, curled against her warmth like a real six year old would. Truly she didn't want to disturb him but she knew they couldn't sleep in the chair.

"Hisoka," she said softly. He groaned and fidgeted. Finally giving up she rose and clutched him to her gently as she swept out of the room. She'd never changed out of the kimono so it still draped across her thin frame to the floor. Switching off the light she whisked out of the room with her prize in her arms. Coming to his room she toed open the door. She laid him down on the bed and pulled out a pair of pajamas from the bottom drawer of his bureau. Changing him quickly and gently, so as not to startle him into an embarrassed fit, she took the primrose from his pocket and set it on the nightstand. Lifting him up once again she tucked him beneath the covers and stood back.

"Good night, Hisoka. Thank you very much for today, I loved it." She turned to leave only to hear something that nearly made her heart leap out of her throat.

"Good night, mama."

She turned back, smiling with a few tears in her eyes before bending back down and pressing her lips to his forehead. "Good night. I love you, Soka-chan."

Hisoka shifted but his breathing had already evened into the oncoming of sleep. Still smiling she left the room and headed towards her own bedroom, pausing for a moment to quickly steal into the library. Browsing quickly she found just what she was looking for and skimmed through it till she found what she wanted.

"Ah…I thought so." She placed the book in the chair her son frequented when he came down there and then returned to her room to find Hokuto waiting.

"Where have you been all day?" she asked as the hanged the kimono on the back of the door.

"Getting my gift to you. Happy Mother's Day, love." He presented her with an envelope as she sat down on the end of the bed.

Neina opened it up and took out several glossy photographs. The first one actually made her squeal with delight. "You took pictures of Hisoka!! All day?" She quickly flipped through them, finding all of them to be candid shots around the house or in the garden.

"Yep. I'm just glad they didn't leave the house or I would've been arrested as a pedophile. So, you like?"

"I like, I like very much. I love you, however." She placed the photos off to the side and pulled him down by his collar to give him a kiss. "Remind me to give you a primrose sometime."

"What? Why?"

"Oh, no reason," she laughed and kissed him again. _Just because…I can't live without you._

-----------------------------------------------------------

Welp, there you go!! I need to go study now. REVIEW and SUGGEST!!

All of those flower meanings are according to this website:

which is not working...so, find it on my profile if you're interested.


	6. A Walk in the Park

**laustic**: So it wasn't too cliché? I thought of having him say 'mommy', but I knew that would be pushing it. Thanks so much!! You're reviews really do brighten up my day!

**DesertQueen**: Uncross the fingers, it's here!! Thank you, I like know I can write cute. Here's an overdose for you!

**jennamarie**: S'okay, review when you can. Sorry for the cavities. Oh and by the way (_**glomp**_ hangs on like baby koala) YOU ARE MY MUSE!!! I totally missed the tulip when going over the sight! As you will see, I've made good use of it! (salutes fan flag) Neat!

--------------------------------------------------

"We're going where?" Tatsumi asked. He looked admiringly at the neat rows of flowers they passed. They seemed to go through most of the area in a wide design.

"The park. I figured you all would like a change of scenery. Besides this is where we're meeting Hokuto after lunch. He's out doing all of your jobs at the ministry today, remember?" The flushed and nodded. Neina hefted the large chest like picnic basket higher on her shoulders. "Plus there's a play ground nearby. It'll be fun!"

"We are not children, Neina-san," he stated coolly. She arched her eyebrows and he pursed his lips at the look. "You know what I mean!"

"Oh lighten up, Seii-chan!" Watari said. "How many people get to relive their childhood the way we get too? Loosen up and enjoy it."

"I would be pretty loose in my mind if I listened to you…Did you just call me 'Seii-chan?!"

"Sure. We're kids and we're in a park full of people. It would be weird if we went around calling each other 'Tatsumi-san' and 'Kurosaki-kun'."

"He's got a point," Tsuzuki said. Hisoka was forced by logic to nod in agreement.

Watari beamed and pointed at himself. "So that means I'm Yutaka-chan! Or Yuta-chan. Taka-chan?"

"You're enjoying this far too much," the stony secretary said.

"And you're not enjoying it enough, as usual. Liven up, _Seii-chan_."

"Call me that again, _Watari-san_, and I'll—"

"Do absolutely nothing. Or have you forgotten your powers have finally packed up and left for good in your tiny states?"

This was true. Though Watari was still researching this unforeseen side effect their powers had finally given up the ghost and were gone. Tatsumi's shadows were unresponsive. Watari's pictures remained 2D and lifeless. Tsuzuki could no longer summon any of his shiki, much to his despair as he'd run around in circles in worry. Only Hisoka's empathy, since it was a given trait from his life, remained. He always made sure to wear the dampener on a cord around his neck now tucked beneath his shirt.

"But—"

"No buts, Seiichirou. Yutaka is right, when we're in public at least you need to refer to each other by your first names and so will I. Questions are the last thing we need right now." The blue-eyed boy hmphed and folded his arms across his chest. "Good, now that's acting your apparent age." He glared but Neina only smirked as she veered off the beaten path onto the grass.

"This looks good. You ready to eat?" They all perked up at that as she crouched down to shed the picnic crate. She squawked as it pulled her back and she landed on her rump. The boys all laughed. "Yes yes, that was quite funny I'm sure," she strained as she stood. A low grunt escaped her as her lower back popped.

"You okay, Neina?" Tsuzuki asked.

"Yeah, my back's just a little sore. A picnic for six people isn't light."

"We could've carried it," Hisoka said. She smiled and patted him on the head.

"It's okay. I'm stronger than most women. Sagara-sensei used to make me do vertical chin-ups hanging by my legs twenty feet from the ground with my arms in a harness." They stared at in mute shock. "What? It was strength training. You have to have a good body to use sorcery efficiently." She lifted the blanket rolled on top and shook it out.

"…What else did he do to you?"

"He didn't 'do' anything to me. I did it all willingly so I could get stronger. But let's see," she began taking the food out of the casket and setting it on the blanket under them. "The first week I was with him was the easiest. The only way into my room was through a window at the very top. I wasn't allowed to use the door unless it was an emergency. I had to climb up and down the side of the tower everyday. It was easier when I started learning how to levitate and fly. Then there was combat training. Then strength training, which was usually a bunch of exercises used to strengthen my core and make spell casting easier and more fluid. Survival training usually involved him taking me to some random place in the forest a few miles away and making me find my way back. And a bunch of other stuff."

She set the last plate down and smiled brightly as if these were all cherished memories, which to her they probably were. The minigamis however they just sat and stared.

"Remind me never to complain about how Konohe trained me ever again," Tsuzuki whispered to Tatsumi as she passed the sandwiches around.

"Darn! I forgot the water for the tea," she said as she opened the brewer. "I'll be right back. Nobody go off anywhere." She let her gaze linger on Tsuzuki for a moment before she walked over to the water fountain nearby. She was just filling up the container when a woman in rather gaudy track suit walked up to her.

"I just wanted to say I have to admire you, taking on four at once," she said brightly.

"Huh?" Neina looked up and almost repelled the woman with a spell thinking she was a harpy.

"You must be a professional, though you look fairly young. I'm sure their fathers enjoy having you around." Neina didn't miss the condescending tone in her voice and frowned.

"What are you talking about?"

"Well, you're a nanny aren't you? I mean why else would you have so many children with you? They can't all be yours."

Neina's eyes narrowed as the woman's tone continued to get haughtier and haughtier. "And if they are?"

The woman blinked but sniffed. "Then I'd have to say it's rather odd…they look quite different from one another."

Neina's left eye ticked in annoyance. _Did she just insinuate…?_ "Well, they are mine, thank you." _Half true. One of them 's mine and the other's are my friends._

The woman smiled sweetly. "Well then I admire you even more. Being a single mother can be so hard, especially without a solid male influence in their life."

Neina's mouth fell open. _Tha…that bitch!!_ "Listen, you—"

"Hello love," a smooth voice said as an arm slipped around her shoulders. Hokuto leaned down and pecked her cheek. "I hope you and the boys haven't been waiting long, I just finished that project at work. Oh hello, I didn't even notice you. Are you a friend of my lovely _wife_?" he grinned charmingly, and a little cheekily, at the now beet red woman.

"I, uh…"

"Fine young boys we have, don't you think? We're hoping the next one will be a girl." He patted Neina low on her belly, causing her to blush almost as much as her son would have in this situation.

The woman's jaw worked soundlessly for a moment before she clacked it shut and spun to jog away.

When she was gone she turned her gaze back up to her husband. "You're early. How long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough to know that cow got what was coming to her. Let's go, I'm starving."

"…What the hell is this about the 'next one'?!"

-----------------------------------------

After lunch they boys all went to the playground to work it off. Well, two of them did. The other two stood around with frowns and crossed arms and refused to participate.

"Come on, you guys look stupid right now standing there and sulking."

"I'm not sulking!" Tatsumi and Hisoka yelled at Watari together.

"Then come and play! It's fun." He jumped when Tsuzuki suddenly slapped him on the shoulder.

"You're It now, Yuta-chan!"

"No fair, I was distracted!" Tsuzuki ran off, yelling something like 'no tag backs'. Watari suddenly grinned and turned to look at the remaining members of his party.

Tatsumi backed up a step. "Watari, do not even think about it." Watari took a step forward. "I'm serious (step back) I do not wish (step forward) to participate in (step back) these childish escapades! (step forward) Watari…(step forward) Watari, I'm serious! I'll dock your funding! (rush forward) Yutaka!!" He turned and ran as the blonde chased him with his arms out stretched.

"You won't escape, Seii!" They sped off across the park, Tatsumi managing to keep the lead and 003 fluttering behind her harebrained partner.

"Is it just me or is Watari enjoying this a little too much," Hisoka said as he watched them weave through the trees.

"That's just how he is. He always tries to make the best of a bad situation."

"I guess…"

Tsuzuki laughed as they made another round, apparently not even tired yet. "You want to play something Hisoka?"

"Like what?"

"Ummmm…" he looked around and smiled when he saw his old favorite. "How about the swings? It'll almost be like we can fly again."

"I've never been on one before," he frowned.

"No problem! I'll push you." He grasped the boy's hand and led him over to the swing set. "Don't worry it's a lot of fun." Hisoka sat down hesitantly and curled his pale fingers around the chain. "Ready?" He nodded and Tsuzuki grasped the chain below his hands to pull him back. Letting go he swung forward then back and Tsuzuki firmly but gently pushed on his back to rock him forward again. Back and forth, back and forth, like a pendulum or a metronome he swung. "Kick your legs out for more altitude," his partner called. Hisoka did as instructed and gasped when it did bring him higher. He had to admit this was exhilarating, though still nothing compared with actually flying. "Having fun?"

"Yes!" he said, with a small laugh. The sound thoroughly distracted Tsuzuki long enough that on the next swing back he was hit in the head. "Tsuzuki?!" Hisoka skidded to a stop and ran around to him. "Tsuzuki, are you okay?"

"Y-yeah I think so. Ouch!" He brought up his hand to see it red and raw from catching himself on the concrete ring behind them. The skin wasn't broken but it was obviously irritated and tender.

"You sure?"

"Uh-huh, just a little road rash. I'll go rinse it off at the water fountain, you just wait right here." He nodded and the amethyst eyed boy ran off in the direction of the water fountains. He waited a few moments, sitting on the swing and twisting this way and that in his childlike impatience.

_He's taking a long while…was there a line?_ Standing he trudged down the path towards the fountains.

"Freak!" Hisoka jumped and looked around quickly.

"Yeah, freak! What's up with those stupid eyes? You some kind of escaped circus act?"

"Nah, I know what he is. He's a monster! Only monsters have eyes that weird!"

Jumping off the path he sped towards the voices. He stopped dead when he found them. Two boys, maybe a little older than they all appeared, were looming above Tsuzuki. Now instead of just his hand, both his knees were skinned and several streaks of dirt covered his clothes. One of the boys picked up a large dirt clod and sent it hurling at him. It struck his shoulder in a shower of dirt and grass. Tsuzuki just kept his gaze down cast and as still as possible.

"Hrn. Doesn't even understand us. Stupid monster. I bet we could just—" the boy was cut off as Hisoka's foot connected with his chest. The force actually had him stumbling back. The other boy gaped for at him for a moment before rousing.

"H-hey!" He moved as if to grab him but the small blonde side stepped and brought his fist up. It connected with the boy's nose and he jumped back with a yelp.

Hisoka stood panting between them and Tsuzuki. Standing perfectly straight he flung up his hands as if to block them from his partner, who was now staring at him with equal disbelief. "Go away and leave him alone or I'll give you a lot worse you #&$//!" Everyone gaped at that and Tsuzuki even turned a shade darker.

_Where'd he learn _that_ word?!_

"Y-you can't talk to us like that!!" The one he'd punched said his voice now slightly nasally. A thin trickle of blood was seeping from one nostril.

"Watch me, you &$#!! If you so much as look at him the wrong way again, I'm going to make you eat your own teeth!!" He continued ranting, his voice becoming shriller and the threats becoming even more wild and unbelievable. He didn't care though, all he could focus on was the image of Tsuzuki looking so defeated. _Never again!! I'll never let him feel like that again!!_

The two boys finally did run off when he began talking about fire ants and honey. He stood panting for a while, his small frame shaking and green eyes wild. Finally he turned and walked over to Tsuzuki and knelt down. "You okay? They didn't hurt you did they?"

"No…Nothing lasting. I thought you were going to go medieval on their asses though. Maybe drag them back to the ministry."

Hisoka snorted and held out his hand to help him up. "I am a god of death. I should get some privileges." Tsuzuki laughed but there was no humor in it. He was looking down, chocolate banes hiding where his eyes were looking. Hisoka frowned and tried to look up under him. "You sure you're okay?"

His head bounced up and he smiled brightly, his eyes crinkling shut. "Yep, I'm just fine. I'm used to people looking at my eyes funny. I'm used to it." He gulped a little and sniffed. Hisoka felt his heart lurch "Tsuzuki…" A grim look came over his face before he grabbed the other boy's hand again and began pulling him along. "H-hey! Hisoka where are we going?"

"Shut up and come on!" he growled. Tsuzuki whimpered and followed the rest of the way without argument. They dragged/followed one another back to the beds of flowers. Hisoka's head swiveled left and right in search of something. _There's got to but one, just one! Where…Ah!_ He let go of the other's hand for a moment to trot ahead and grasp one of the stems. Not caring what anyone, least of all the park gardeners, would think and broke it off and ran back. "H-here!" he said, his sudden adrenaline boost from the confrontation with the bullies leaving him once again shy and indecisive.

Tsuzuki looked at the variegated tulip presented to him and blinked owlishly. He took the flower and stared at it for a long moment. "Why…?"

"You know what it means don't you?" he asked, suddenly worried this wouldn't go the way he planned.

Tsuzuki blinked again and looked at the tulip again. _Variegated tulips mean…_ He gasped and felt warmth spread over his cheeks. "Hisoka…"

"It's the truth," he said stubbornly. "Your eyes…are the most beautiful I've ever seen, Tsuzu…Asato. They're amazing. Anyone who says different is either a liar or jealous! So don't listen to them…listen to me." He was blushing again but had managed to say the words through his embarrassment.

"Hisoka…" he gasped, both at the confession and the fact he'd said his first name for the first time. A little bit of time passed as he absorbed the words. "How…how did you know?"

Hisoka looked up and gave a small smile. "There was a book on flowers in the library."

"Oh." He blushed. "Does that mean…you know what a primrose means?" Hisoka blushed as well and nodded. "A-and…?"

He fidgeted for a moment before suddenly closing the distance between them and giving the briefest kiss. "You won't have to live with out me. Not if I have anything to say about it."

Tsuzuki blushed again but smiled a genuine smile that made the blonde's heart flutter.

"There they are!!" They both jumped. Hisoka turned to see the boys he'd frightened off earlier walking up the path with a large woman in a purple track suit in tow. "That's him, mom! He's the one that beat us up!"

"Hrn. So you're the one, eh? Well, where's your mother?" she growled.

"Is there a problem?" Hisoka looked up to see Neina standing behind them, pushing them back behind her.

"Oh, I might've known it was you."

"Have we met?"

The woman pursed her lips. "Oh honestly, it was just an hour or two ago."

"What? Oh, you're the woman from the water fountain. How could I ever forget that outfit? Is something the matter?"

"You're son assaulted my boys!"

"Really?" she looked down at him.

"They were picking on Tsu…on Asato! They through dirt at him! They said his eyes were weird!"

"We did not!"

"Did so!"

"Hisoka." Neina knelt down before him. "Did you hurt these boys?"

He shifted under her gaze before mumbling, "I hit the taller one in the chest with a flying kick. And I got the other one in the nose with an uppercut."

She stared into his eyes for a moment before he felt the barest trace of her mind in his. _Did they deserve it?_

_Definitely!_

She rose and smiled at the opposing family as sweetly as she could. "It seems there just a great big mess here. Why don't we just let the boys apologize to one another and call it a day?" Hisoka was about to protest but then he would've missed the thumbs up and sly wink she sent his way. _Good man._

"My boys apologize?! You must be out of your mind! It's your little upstart that's the problem here! Discipline! Discipline is the only way to raise a child! A good firm hand to guide them."

Neina's smile disappeared to be replaced with a bored disinterested look. "Is that what you do with your children?"

"It certainly is!"

"Then you'll excuse me if I don't take up that advice. I would prefer my son be well behaved and respectful." The woman actually turned an even more interesting shade of purple than her track suit. "Now then, if you do not wish to apologize, I see no reason to speak to you further. I long for intelligent conversation. Good afternoon." With that she turned and guided them a few steps down the path.

"I suppose I should expect no better from some teenage slut with a couple of queers for kids!!"

Neina halted and world with one hand raising a sleeve. "THAT'S IT!!! No more nicey nice, you sea cow!! You've been pissing me off all day!!" Before she was even two feet from the woman, now backing up in fear, Hokuto grabbed her from behind and began pulling her away. "Let me go!! I can take her!!"

"I know, love, but I don't feel like dealing with the police right now."

Neina growled before looking back at the woman. "You're lucky my husband's here to save you!! If I ever see you again, you #&$//, I'm gonna burn that hideous outfit of yours with you still in it!!!"

Hisoka and Tsuzuki looked back from leading the way with sweatdrops on there heads. "You definitely have your mother's temper. And vocabulary."

"Where's Tatsumi and Watari?" Hisoka asked as they headed back to the picnic.

Neina smiled, having calmed down when out of range of the harpy mother. "Look for yourselves." She gestured to the blanket where they were surprised to see both boys passed out. Even more surprising was the fact that Watari was curled up against Tatsumi's side with his head on his chest. Tatsumi's arm was lazily thrown around the other boy, his face relaxed into an almost trance-like slumber. 003 was on the secretaries stomach cooing softly in her sleep.

"They tired themselves out playing. We found them like this under one of the trees and they went back even when we laid them down separately."

They smiled at their coworkers as the sat down. Hisoka looked up and smiled faintly. "We should come to the park more often."

--------------------------------------------------

As you can see, I was mainly going for the cuteness factor here. Kids are a mystery to me mostly which is why I need more suggestions!!

REVIEW and SUGGEST, por favor! I'll be chillin' on my va-cay in the mean time!


	7. Wish I may, Wish I Might

Right, because _laustic_ reviewed this chapter already but made an AMAZING comment about it I've decided to revamp and repost it. She brought up the Tanabata festival was last weekend (on the 7th) and after researching it I really wanted to do another festival chapter with it. But I just couldn't seem to write a good one for LtR and I just kept thinking how little kids would love to make wishes, so I rewrote this one. Maybe now the rest of ya will review!!

If you've already read it the biggest change is right when they get to the festival. But there's also some at the end so…

Since fourth of July is Wednesday I decided to do something with fireworks. AND NOW IT HAS TANABATA!!! Hope you enjoy!

**jennamarie**: There _are_ people like that? Wow. Actually I do know what you're talking about. My friend works at a daycare and she's always venting about what some of the parents say to her. Making the romance so…innocent is a little hard, but I'm working for it. Hisoka to the rescue! Thank you Neina's martial arts lessons.

**laustic**: Yeah, I thought Hisoka would enjoy coming to Tsuzuki's rescue for once in my stories. XD

**DesertQueen**: Don't know exactly what they said but it was pretty blue. 0:D

**Shinigami-chan**: Yay! New reviewer!! I'm glad you like it and think it's cute. If you're reading the other, I'll be updating it soon.

Onward!!

---------------------------------------------------

"Why are you doing this to me?" Hisoka asked for the umpteenth time. He was glaring at his reflection, as diminutive as it was right now, in the full standing mirror in his mother's room as she tied the obi around the yukata she was forcing him into. It wasn't his reflection that bothered him even with all the extra space above his head. It was the fact that it was reminding him he was being encased in a _yukata_ of all things!

"Because I'm your mother and I said so. It's Tanabata, Hisoka honey. One night in a yukata is not going to hurt you."

"But I don't like it!" He grimaced even as the words left his mouth. _I did not just whine like some petulant child, did I_?

"But you look adorable!" She chirped, giving the obi one last tug. "There. All done."

Hisoka continued to glower at his reflection. All he'd worn for the first 13 years of his life, trapped in the Kurosaki mansion, had been yukatas and kimonos. Admittedly those had all been white or other bland shades. Not this one though. This one was a royal blue with pale green lines that resembled willow branches falling across it. The obi was and robin's egg blue. It was all very flattering but all too familiar to the feel as well.

"Okay, we're done," Neina called through the door. The door opened and the others trumped in to admire the blonde's new clothes.

"Wow, bon, you look good!" Watari smiled as he swung the sleeves of his own fiery red-orange yukata playfully. Tatsumi, dressed in dark blue with indigo diamonds, nodded and smiled.

"Yeah! It looks great, Hisoka!" Tsuzuki added enthusiastically. His own was white that gradually darkened into a deep purple at the end. He grinned and Hisoka's glower intensified.

"It's too cumbersome," he mumbled.

"Don't be like that. That yukata was made just for you." Neina rose, smoothing out her own pale yellow yukata fell straight. A black and gold dragon wound it's way around her back. Hokuto was dressed in black with a white tiger prowling across the material.

He blushed and looked down. "Sorry…I guess you put a lot of work into it, huh?"

"Not me," she said in surprise.

He looked up in confusion. "You didn't make them? Then who did?" Neina pointed over her shoulder at her husband who also raised his hand in recognition. The boys all gaped. "Hokuto?!"

"You made all of these?" Tsuzuki asked in wonder.

"Yeah, when I had some free time."

Hisoka looked at him as if he had sprouted daisies on his head. "You…sew?"

"Someone in this family has to. Your mother is god awful at it."

"Hey!"

"Oh sure," he went on, "Cooking she has no problem with but give her a needle and she turns her self into a voodoo doll. And when she knits it always ends up lumpy and full of holes. And don't even ask what happens when—"

"Keep talking and you can sow yourself a sleeping bag because you'll be locked outside tonight," she said darkly.

"I'll be quiet now."

She smirked before it turned into a grin. "Shall we?"

The festival wasn't far so they just walked. The heat of the day was leaking from the pavement and tarmac into the air. Luckily the material of the Yukatas was light enough that it didn't stifle them. Turning down the street for the Tanabata Festival their eyes were assaulted by lights and streamers in a dizzying array of colors. Music, both traditional and contemporary, was coming at them from every angle. Gaggles of people young and old were milling about at the game and food booths.

"Wow! Look at it all!" Tsuzuki yelled, almost taking off before Hokuto grabbed him by the back of his yukata.

"No running off! I'm not having a repeat of the supermarket incident." He gave a meaningful glare to Tsuzuki and Watari and even Tatsumi. They all flushed and looked away abashedly.

"I haven't been to a festival in years even before my big sleep," Neina said wistfully as she looked around. "I think the last time was when Captain gave us the assignment to guard that mirror, wasn't it?"

"Yeah. Still, you go to one you've pretty much seen it all."

"How can you say that?" Watari asked flabbergasted. "Festivals are always fun!"

"I've been to more festivals in my life than I can count," he said dourly.

"His family ran a temple," Neina clarified.

"Really?" Hisoka asked, similar curious exclamations from the other boys bolstering the question.

"Ye-p. Some Shinto sec I don't bother to remember anymore."

"He liked to rebel against his families expectations. Good thing too or we never would've met and worked together." She slipped her hand into his and he smiled.

"Best damn rebellion I ever made." She kissed the corner of his mouth. "Well, since this _is_ Tanabata, let's go make our wishes first." They followed the other new arrivals through the crowd until they saw what must've been the Tanabata wishing area. In the center, well away from all of the booths, was a large cluster of bamboo that almost resembled a Christmas tree with its many decorations. On it people were tying slips of paper from a nearby table on which were written their wishes.

"Okay boys, have at it!" Neina laughed. All four of them began writing down their wishes, Tsuzuki making a big show of thinking before he finally scribbled something down and handed it to Hokuto to hang.

"Don't look!" he said seriously.

"I won't," he covered his eyes with his other hand as the one with the wish blindly waved around until the string caught a branch and stayed there. He looked down to see Hisoka trying to climb on some of the wooden fencing round the bamboo and tie his to one of the lower curling branches. Smiling a little he caught the boy around the middle and held him up to one of them. "The ones up here are better."

Hisoka didn't say anything and quickly tied his to a branch before being placed down. Hokuto just smiled knowing that he didn't like being picked up still. But it was hard to resist sometimes.

"What did you wish for, Tatsumi?" Watari asked as they walked back through one of the rows of stalls.

"I wished for my old body back as soon as possible."

"Mah, that's a stupid wish! I told you it would wear off eventually."

"Then what did you wish for?"

"For my next potion to work, duh."

"And you say my wish is stupid. What about you Tsuzuki?"

"It's a secret," he said mysteriously.

"Huh? Why?"

"Because…it's cooler that way!"

Watari laughed before turning his attention to the youngest of them. "What about you, bon?"

Hisoka opened his mouth, then suddenly blushed beet red and closed it again. "Uh…not telling."

"Aw, c'mon!! We said ours and you can't both keep them a secret."

Hisoka just glared and opened his mouth as if to retort when Tsuzuki suddenly spoke up.

"Look!" He trotted off towards one of the booths.

"What did I say about running off?!"

Tsuzuki didn't listen and picked up one of the toy rifles.

"Uh oh, I've seen this bit before," Hisoka said.

Sure enough, after setting down a coin and standing atop one of the boxes for the shorter players Tsuzuki fired at the target. Or at least he tried to. He ended up missing it all three of his tries.

"Hey, is this game rigged?!"

"No, you just can't aim," Watari supplied. Tatsumi nodded. Hisoka just chose to ignore the outburst entirely.

Tsuzuki pouted and crossed his arms. "That's not true! I can aim just fine. It's the gun's fault."

Neina frowned before reaching for one of the rifles herself. She frowned in obvious distaste as she held it away from her like some sort of vermin. Sighing, she set down a coin and brought it up to aim.

POP! POP! POP!

Only one shot missed, the other two hitting the target squarely and a little off to the side. The boys blinked and looked up at her.

"Where'd you learn to shoot?" Tatsumi asked.

"All guard members have to know basic gun practice, for emergencies," she replied dully. Hokuto nodded before taking up another rifle.

POP! POP! POP!

All his shots hit square in the middle. "Though some are better at it than others," he smirked. Neina rolled her eyes as she chose her prize from the two star category. A stuffed lion she handed to a surprised Tsuzuki.

"I don't like guns. They're too…volatile, unpredictable. You can't have any real control over them. Teaching kids to use them in things like video games and even here is quite disturbing."

"And _you _can't defend against them," Hokuto said matter-of-factly as he put the large stuffed penguin he chose under his arm.

"That too. They hurt like hell!"

"You've been shot before, Neina?" Tatsumi asked in surprise.

"Oh yeah. Bullets are too fast for me, I can almost never throw up a proper shield in time. And sometimes they can get through my shields anyway."

"How many times?" Watari asked as they kept walking now.

Neina blinked then frowned. Bringing up her hand and twiddled her fingers in calculation. "Five. That is properly, the bullet actually going wholly through my skin and not just grazing me."

"What? I counted four," Hokuto said.

"No, cause there was that one time in Gaza when it got me in the shoulder. One time in Madrid when that Eraser snuck up on us. Then that psychotic Eraser general in Heidelberg shot me twice times in the stomach—"

"Don't remind me," he growled. "You almost died from that."

"—And then that time we were trying to teach Newt and it ricocheted off the overhead light."

"You're counting that? It was an accident."

"It hit me in the calf! I'm counting it."

"No wonder you don't like guns," Hisoka said. He decided not to bring up the fact he'd actually used a gun in the beginning of his job just in case she wouldn't like the idea.

"More of a distaste than a dislike. Anyway, what's next?"

"Some thing to eat!" Tsuzuki said. Everyone smiled at the exuberance he showed looking around for something appropriate.

A few moments later they all enjoyed a helping of skewered chicken or steak as they admired the various stalls and games. When they were finished everyone but Hokuto tossed the sticks away. He instead decided to keep his in his mouth between his teeth.

"Hokuto-san, you look like some sort of yakuza," Tatsumi sweatdropped.

"So sue me, I think it looks cool."

Neina shook her head and rolled her eyes but continued on. It was Watari who stopped them next.

"Hey look! Paddle fishing!"

"What?" they followed and she looked down into the large fishtank. "This is new. What do you do?"

Watari smiled and paid the man a coin for a paddle and a bowl. "You take this and try to scoop a fish in before it busts."

"What do you win?"

"The fish."

The elder two looked at one another before shrugging. Watari watched the fish in the tank carefully before suddenly dipping the paddle in and flicking the fish into the air. He thrust the bowl out and caught it before it even began falling. The rest of his group and even a few passers by applauded the show.

"Thank you, thank you," he said as he took a bow.

"I think I'll give it a shot," Hokuto said.

The boys admired the gold fish swimming in the plastic bag before the stall owner shouted, "Hey, you can't use your yakitori skewer on the fish!!" They had to run after that, an outraged stall owner yelling at them all the while.

"Sorry, I thought it would go alright," he defended as they slowed down on the other side of the festival near the river. There were less people there, it was actually near deserted.

Neina glared at him from the corner of her eye. "Did it occur to you that the object of the game was to catch the fish _alive_?"

"It would've been alive! Just, you know, slower…"

Neina sighed and sat down on the bench with a slump. "Well, I think we'll have to cut the evening short now. I doubt the other stall owners will want to deal with us after nearly killing one guys business. Literally." The boys couldn't help but look a little disappointed though the idea of dealing with an army of angry stall owners was a little deterring.

"Maybe they won't," Hokuto smiled. "I mean we can't just stay here…Wait! I've got it! Just wait here." He sped off back to the festivities without another word.

"What'd he mean?" Tsuzuki asked.

"I'm not sure. I pride myself on knowing that man inside and out, but even I have trouble telling what he's thinking sometimes."

It was nearly half an hour before Hokuto returned with one small plastic bag in his hand and one large sack over his shoulder. "If you bunch of babies are so worried about what those guys will do, we'll just have our own festival!" He dropped the sack and opened it to reveal a huge pile of different fire works.

"Cool!"

"Sidewinders!"

"My stress level's about to rise sharply."

"Lighten up," Tsuzuki and Watari told the dour young Tatsumi in chorus.

Hisoka picked up a sparkler and stared at it. _Well…this is going to be a first._

"And for the kid in all of us…" he delved into the plastic shopping bag. "Ice cream!" Tsuzuki nearly toppled him grabbing for the box. "Geez! Vicious little…" he wiggled his fingers as if making sure he still had them all.

"This is all great, 'Kuto, but did you happen to remember a lighter?" Stormy blue eyes looked into glassy green with a mischievous smile. "What? Why are you…Oh for the love of—you want me to play the human torch!"

"What else are sorceress wives for?"

She snorted before smiling and picking up a sidewinder. Snapping her fingers a sparkling flame erupted on her thumb. Lighting the fuse she tossed it onto the concrete of the river walk and both she and her son jumped when it began spinning wildly with a spray of sparks. Watari and Tsuzuki laughed and Tatsumi even looked more than just a little amused. They began taking as many fireworks as they could out of the bag and holding them out to Neina to light.

"Hisoka, isn't this cool?" The blonde nodded, smiling at the purple-eyed boy's wide grin around his half eaten popsicle. "Hey, don't you want to light your sparkler?"

Hisoka blushed suddenly feeling a bit bashful. "Well…it's just, you know we can't heal now…and Neina can only heal herself…"

"Aw, don't worry Hisoka! Nobody here would let you get hurt and we'll be careful not to make you worry. Ah, not that you should be! I mean, you can worry, but you don't have to and it doesn't mean—I'm going to shut up now." Tsuzuki blushed and rubbed the back of his head at running his mouth off so much. Hisoka blinked before smiling and nodding. Tsuzuki led back to his mother who smiled when he held up the sparkler. She snapped it into life and then turned back to making sure their resident amber-eyed pyromaniac didn't blow himself sky high with ten fireworks going at once. The two boys backed away and Hisoka carefully held the stick away from them as the fuse burned down.

He gasped when the sparks began flying from the tip out over the water. They were a bright purple mixed with sudden sparks of deep blue. They sparkled and fizzed through the air. He smiled and in the back of his mind registered that the color reminded him of the pair of eyes watching him. Hisoka hoisted the stick higher and watched the sparks arch over the water.

"Fun, huh?"

"Yeah!"

Tsuzuki watched him for a moment before leaning in a cupping a hand over his ear. "Hisoka…I wished we could always be together."

Hisoka drew in a shocked breath as his eyes watched the other boy for any sign he was joking. But he was entirely serious. Blushing he leaned in and similarly cupped a hand over Tsuzuki's ear. "I…I wished I could make you happy."

Tsuzuki blushed too before smiling. "Then we made the same wish." Hisoka smiled back before realizing his sparkling was hitting nothing but the ground and quickly aimed it back over the water.

"That's the way, boys!" Hokuto laughed and startled them from their reverie. He had three sparklers in each hand caught between his fingers and going strong. Neina and Watari laughed as he began dancing around and waving them in the air. Hisoka sweat dropped and shook his head. Tsuzuki just laughed.

"Your dad's pretty lively."

"Yeah…maybe a little too lively."

"No such thing!" He scooped up another sparkler and held it high above his head like a general's crop. He froze and blanched as a jet of flame whooshed overhead and lit the sparkler for him. "Tell your mom to warn me next time…"

He jumped as the sparkler erupted in a shower of green and gold sparks. He yelped and danced around in a small panic before facing it the same way as Hisoka's. Watari came up with a scarlet one on his left while Tatsumi came up with a pale blue on his side. Neina and Hokuto stood behind all of them with bright yellow sparklers and watched all of them fade near the water's surface. When they all finally sputtered out they fell back with wide smiles.

"And now for the grand finale! Neina, my love, if you would." The blonde woman lit the fuses on a line of rockets and ran back to them quickly. They sat down in nervous anticipation as the fuses burned to ash in their lines. Finally they all burned up and there were pops and whistles as the burst up into the night sky. The colors exploded across the black canvas like blooming flowers, streaks of color that slowly fell before disappearing. Hokuto had staggered the length of the fuses so that had a solid five minutes of show before it ended.

"That was great!" Watari whooped. They made there way back to the steps and started their leisurely walk back home. It was late in the night and the festival was packing up as they passed. They made sure to stay well away from the fish tank vendor as he backed up the few fish that remained.

"Look, their burning the tree," Neina said. They all looked over to see a large crowd around the burning bamboo grove, the wishes curling and turning to ash as they floated up to the heavens to be heard. They watched for a few moments before continuing back on their way to home.

Hisoka yawned as they walked back through the streets to their home. He grunted in surprise when two strong hands fastened around his middle and lifted him up.

"Tired?" his father asked as he set him on his shoulders.

"Mmmmhg…No. I'm fine, I can walk."

"Oh, I know you can. I just want to make sure you don't walk out into the street with your eyes half-shut."

He grunted again, whether in disagreement or consent neither really knew. Hisoka's body felt heavier and heavier as they walked on, fatigue and the activity of the evening pressing upon him. He smiled as he went over all of it, not even noticing when he slumped forward to lean on his father's head.

"That was a lot of fun, dad." Hokuto paused for the briefest second in his walk before smiling.

"Yeah. I have to admit, this festival was the best I've ever been to."

---------------------------------------------

Father-son moments…I'm working off my imagination for that.

Glad to be back! **REVIEW and SUGGEST, **danka!


	8. Sugar and Soap

Yeah, this here is what you call 'random'. Have fun.

**Hiyami:** yeah, I think minigamis is one of my better ideas. Yeah for the random TaTari moments! And I think anyone would cuss if they were angry enough. Lord knows I do…extensively…at odd moments…no I don't have tourrats (I have no idea how to spell that, dammit.).

**Laustic:** Thank you for sending the updated review PM. I'm glad you liked it, you did inspire it XD I agree, the idea of the wishes is very lovely. But this time Neina is the one that gets to cuddle Hisoka!

-------------------------------------------

(This idea is half brought to you by _**Hiyami.**_ It was her idea to do the baking part, I just added the last half cause…I wanted too, but I never knew how to start it.)

"Okay, that's right, just like that," Neina encouraged. "Just try to get as much air out of it as possible." Hisoka nodded and grunted a little as he slammed the dough down again. It would've been easier if his hands were larger but he was making do.

He sighed and wiped at his forhead, grimacing when he realized he probably left a huge streak of flour across it. Neina chuckled and wiped it away with the edge of her apron. Then she reached one ivory hand out to prod the mound of dough critically.

"I think it's ready." The blonde woman carefully pulled the dough apart into two identical molds. She then rolled them until they were long thick ropes on the pan. "Okay, and now we braid the strands together. Like braiding hair." She paused and laughed. "Although I suppose I have more experience at that than you." He watched as she wove the strands together. One over the other, then under, then over in a long line of twists. She stopped about three quarters of the way down and stood to the side. "You try."

"Okay," he said, though he was a little uncertain. Baking was a new lesson for him. He did his best to imitate the way her hands had move even though they were still considerably smaller at the moment. When he came to the end Neina looked over him even on the stepping stool and smiled.

"Perfect."

He frowned in return. "Mine's lumpier than your part."

She laughed again. "Hisoka, we were going for technique not art. We're eating this tonight, remember?" His frown lifted and he nodded. After tonight there would be no evidence that it had ended up so lumpy. Picking up the pan she slid it into the waiting oven and set the timer.

"Now then. I think while that's baking we have enough time to start a cake for dessert." Hisoka's head perked at that and she smirked. "Ah, I see that got your attention. Was that what you were hoping to learn today?"

He flushed and turned his head away. "N-no. I just figured I should learn to make something other than miso soup and fried rice." _This has nothing to do with wanting to learn how to bake a cake for…someone._

"Uh huh. Okay then, what kind of cake should we make tonight?"

"Chocolate." She paused in opening the pantry and eyed him. "It, uh, sounds good?"

"Oh yes, it does," she admitted and opened the door. "And I'm sure that a certain purple-eyed man turned little boy absolutely loving chocolate cake has nothing to do with it."

"Then you'd be right. Because it doesn't." He replied coolly. Although his face still felt a little warm.

"Okay, chocolate…we need milk, white sugar, a couple of eggs, sour cream, baking soda, cake flour and butter. Oh, and of course chocolate."

She continued gathering supplies until it was all laid out on the counter where the bread ingredients had been before. "This looks complicated…" Hisoka said.

"It's not really. And luckily it bakes at the same temp as the bread so we can just pop it right in afterwards. Now then, first the chocolate." She picked up a small sauce pan and set it over the stove. Pouring in milk she began adding the chocolate bits and mixing them together. "We mix this until it starts to look like a custard. Now, while I do this, mix the butter and sugar into a cream." Hisoka nodded and began to mix them together. "Now add the eggs and sour cream." They continued until every thing was in the same bowl waiting to be mixed.

"We'll use the mixer since the bread's almost done anyway. Just make sure when you're using things like this you—" A chiming bell could be heard around the house, loud and insistent. "Huh? Someone's at the door? Probably another solicitor. Don't do anything till I get back."

Hisoka sat down on the top step of the stool to wait.

"What're you doing?" He jumped a little and looked over at the hall way entrance to the kitchen to see the other three minigami's coming in. "You just sitting here?" Watari asked.

"No, I was helping Neina with stuff for dinner."

Tsuzuki was sniffing the air like a dog before he smiled. "I smell chocolate!" He followed his nose over to the counter and, being taller than Hisoka, managed to hoist himself up and sit next to the mixer. He grinned but before his hand ever reached the bowl it was smacked with a wooden spoon. "Ouch! Hey!"

"Don't. It's for dinner," his partner said sternly. "Besides that it's not even mixed yet."

They all jumped when the timer on the stove began buzzing. "Uh oh, is something gonna burn?" Watari asked.

Hisoka jumped up, a bit in a panic, and tried to reach the oven mitt on the counter. He was stalled when Tatsumi, also being taller, reached over him and took it. Putting the mitt on, he opened the oven and carefully took out the pan of bread.

"Thank you, Tatsumi."

"Not a problem. The bread looks good." He admired the braided twist before reaching up and sliding it on top of the stove to cool. Hisoka turned back to his stool in relief that nothing had burned to catch Tsuzuki dipping a finger into the bowl of cake mix.

"Tsuzuki!! I told you not to do that! Baka ne!!" Tsuzuki flinched in his admonishment and his sprouted puppy ears drooped. "It's not even mixed yet, it can't taste good."

Tsuzuki perked a little. "Well then, we'll just mix it." He reached over and switched on the mixer so that the egg beaters began turning in the air.

"Ah! Tsuzuki, wait!" Tatsumi began. But it was too late. Tsuzuki had pushed the beaters in and immediately yelled in surprise as ribbons of batter began flying up from the bowl in all directions. Some ended up on the cabinets, on the counters and other things that had happened to be lying about. But most of it seemed to be targeting the four boys with military accuracy until they were covered in a creamy chocolate mix.

"Turn it off, turn it off!!" The three innocent victims yelled as Tsuzuki fumbled for the switch. He finally got it but the damage even only a few seconds caused was quite something. Watari and Tatsumi were wiping the mix off their glasses and glaring up at him. Hisoka however had the scariest glare of all and was attempting to get it off his face. He only succeeded in smearing it all over him.

"Oops…"

"Oops my ass!!" Hisoka yelled.

The door, also dripping in batter, opened then and Hokuto stepped in. "What's all the yelling fo—HOLY CRAP!!" He gaped at them and the kitchen in disbelief.

"Chocolate, actually," Watari said and licked his finger.

"I-wha-how?...Neina can't see this."

"I can't see what?"

The door was quickly pulled shut and the boys knew that she must've come back from the front door right up behind her husband. "Nothing. Absolutely nothing is wrong with the kitchen."

"You're dad's real smooth," Watari muttered to Hisoka.

"Okay…" they could still hear her. "That's nice, but I do need to get in there, Hokuto. I need to take the bread out of the oven, it must be nearly burnt!"

"I took it out, Neina-san," Tatsumi called.

"Oh good, thank you Tatsumi. Tatsumi? What're doing in the kitchen, I though you and the others were playing outside with…" There was a slight pause in which all the men folk tensed. "Hokuto, why are you standing in front of the door like it will fall if you don't?" she asked suspiciously.

There was the sound of him laughing. "Oh, it's nothing like that, my lovely, I just…uh…No, wait, don't go in—"

The door swung back in and the boys all winced at the look on her face. It was a mixture of confusion, disbelief, incredulous horror and…maybe a touch of amusement, very, very deep down. "My…my kitchen!!"

"Tsuzuki did it," the other three boys said at once and pointed up at the boy still seated on the counter.

"It was an accident, I swear!" He winced when she turned her gaze to him, eye ticking just a little.

"I might've known…" Neina craned her neck back to her husband, shaking just a little. "Weren't you supposed to be watching them while Hisoka and I worked?"

"I had to go to the bathroom! I didn't think they'd run off to the kitchen this early!"

She breathed in deeply through her nose and threaded one of her hands through her banes. Opening one of her eyes she laughed just a little. "There's chocolate on the ceiling. Oy, this is going to be a bitch to clean."

"We'll help!" the boys all said at once. Tsuzuki almost ran out of the kitchen dripping in chocolate batter to the closet where he remembered the cleaning supplies were. Almost because Neina quickly stopped him.

"I'll get stuff to clean with, drippy, you five start washing with the rags in the drawer." She sighed and shook her head as she walked back out into the hall. "There goes dessert."

---------------------------------

The cleaning had gone by quickly with all of them helping. Often they had to clean one place more than once as the boys chocolate coating had a tendency to drip or rub off until it had finally dried into a sort of mud-like crust. They ate as they cleaned, taking a break and sitting on the tiled floor to pick at the roast chicken Neina had made and break apart the braided bread. Said bread had not escaped the chocolate deluge unscathed but surprising the uncooked chocolate batter over it was quite tasty. Tsuzuki had actually rubbed one of his hunks across his forearm in an attempt to pick up more, much to the chagrin and amusement of his housemates.

When they had finally finished de-chocolatizing the kitchen Neina took one look at them and chuckled. "Well, I guess that just leaves you four. I think you all need a bath. And I think we'll use _our _tub," she added to her husband.

"Yeah, that should get all of them clean at once." The four boys had no time to comment and no warning before the two of them bent down and scooped them up into their arms.

"Hey! We can still walk!" Hisoka yelled.

"Yeah, but I'm not going to clean my carpet of chocolate if you get any on it, so shut it and deal." The blonde and his fellow persnickety blue-eyed boy grumbled at the indignity of being carried thus but quieted as Hokuto kicked open the door. They gaped at the inside of their host's.

Oh, it was a normal bathroom. Sinks, faucets, tile, a shower stall and a bath all done in shades of white and blue. What wasn't normal was the size of the tub. It was about the size of a Jacuzzi.

"It's huge!" Tsuzuki exclaimed as they were set down on the tile. "This looks big enough for two people to stretch out completely!" That caused them all to pause and look up at the two grown ups. Neina was blushing with a strained look on her face but Hokuto grinned.

"I plead the fifth," he said humorously. "Any way, it's also big enough for you four to bathe in all together. So get ready." He turned on the water and began adjusting the temperature. He looked up when no one moved and frowned. "That means strip."

The boys looked up at Neina expectantly. "What?"

"Could you leave, Neina-san?" Tatsumi asked respectably.

"Yeah, you're a girl."

Neina's eyebrow twitched and it looked like she was about to say something before shaking her head and closing the door behind her.

The older boys looked at one another and shrugged before pulling off their unsalvageable shirts. Hisoka however blushed and fisted his hands in the front.

"What's wrong, bon?" Watari asked as he pulled the tie from his hair.

"Uh, n-nothing. I just, um…" It was when all three boys reached for the clasps of their pants that he quickly moved out the door and shut it. _No. Hell NO. I am not taking a bath with those three._ It was just like the time at the hot springs. He did not need Watari gushing over how cute he was, how babyish, how _small_ he was. And Tsuzuki…His face, which had finally started to cool, flamed even brighter than before and he clutched his head in mortification. _Bad enough if he _EVER_ saw me naked as I really am, but now?! In this body?! HELL NO!_

"Is something wrong?" He looked up to see his mother regarding him in confusion, a book open on her lap. He folded his lips inward and quickly tried to think up an excuse. "There's another bathroom down stairs if you'd prefer bathing alone."

He blinked and looked up again. She wasn't looking at him pityingly and her tone was mocking. "…Yes." She smiled as she closed the book and stood gracefully to walk over to him.

"C'mon then. I don't really blame you, those two probably make the bathing experience…memorable." She paused suddenly before turning back towards the hall. "Hold on a second, I forgot something." He waited until she came back with her arms full of large fluffy towels. "I'm sure their going to need these." She knocked before going ahead and opening the door. "Hey guys, I brought you some more towels—"

"DON'T LOOK!!!"

Neina jumped at the loud exclamation. "Wha—"

"Don't look, Neina!!"

"Yeah, we're naked!!"

"Neina-san, we did not say you could come in!!"

"Okay, okay I just came to bring you towels! Don't bite my head off!" She quickly set the towels on the counter and closed the door, mostly to block out Hokuto's uncontrollable laughing at her now flushed face. "Gods, you'd think I'd never seen a naked man before! Or that I have a son." Still grumbling at being yelled at, she knelt down and scooped her son up.

"Do I still have to be carried?" he muttered crossly.

"Are you still covered in chocolate?"

"Yes."

"Then yes, you have to be carried." _Besides that, I'll take any excuse I can._

She was a little disappointed when they arrived at the guest bathroom. It was smaller than the other but the bath was divided off from the rest of it by another wall and a door. She set him down on the tile to run the water. The other tub was not as big as the one in the master bathroom but it was more than big enough for one boy.

"Okay, off with your clothes." Hisoka looked up at her uncertainly. "What?"

"Could you…could you not look?"

Neina blinked before fixing him with a blunt look. "Hisoka, you're my son. I've seen you naked before, on more than one occasion."

He blushed. "Y-yeah, but I was a baby then! And I just…I…I can wash myself…"

She sighed, a little disappointed again, but padded across the tile to the outer bathroom where the sinks were. "I'll be right here if you need me."

He nodded even though she couldn't see and quickly stripped. Climbing into the tub, he turned off the water and proceeded to wash away the chocolate and various other grime that had collected on him. Upstairs he could hear splashing and the occasional outraged roar of the splashee. It sounded fun almost…

He sighed and gazed at his hands. _I'm always so…awkward. Always the smallest. Always the one unsuited to being social or friendly. Why?! Why can't I just…just…_ He sighed and stood up in the tub. "I'm coming out," he warned. He stepped out onto the tile but paused when Neina walked in.

"I'm not looking, I just thought you'd like to towel off before changing into your bed clothes." Indeed she wasn't looking, her head was tilted straight up and her eyes were closed with her arms holding a towl wide open.

"Thanks." He took a step towards the towel but gasped as his foot slipped across the tile. He shut his eyes to brace for impact with the tile that would most likely leave a sizable lump on his head or maybe even knock him out. But it didn't come. Instead of hard tile he hit something soft, something that immediately wrapped around him and held him close. He opened his eyes to see that Neina had caught him just as he was falling, landing hard on her knees and then her hip, hard enough to bruise. But the way she held him told him that was her farthest concern. Her arms were clinging to him and her head was bent down next to his.

Pulling back she looked at him with worry. "Are you alright?"

He blinked, surprised by the heavy amount of concern being poured on him by one person, but nodded. "I'm okay."

"Good," she breathed. She smiled reassuringly when he asked if she was okay. Reaching up she began patting his hair with the ends of the towel to dry it.

"Hey, stop! I can do it myself!" She laughed and began rubbing the towel over his shoulders and sides. "Stop! Stop, that-that—!"

"You're ticklish!" she shouted in triumph. She continued to run the towel over him and laughed all the while. Hisoka squirmed to try and escape but soon found himself, to his mortification, giggling as the soft cloth ghosted over his flesh.

"Stop! Stop it! Mom, stop!" Neina did stop then, her mouth falling open at the slip of his lips. He looked at her, worried he'd said something wrong, but she smiled so warmly that he felt his heart skip. Leaning down she gave him a gentle kiss on his crown before rising.

Handing him his pajamas she turned her back and covered her eyes with her hands. "I'm not looking, go ahead and change."

He slipped into the night clothes and then walked over to tug at her pants leg. She smiled down at him before quickly picking him up and holding him close.

"I'm not covered in chocolate anymore," he pointed out.

"True, but let me enjoy you being small. When you're big again I won't be able to hold you like this." He flushed but didn't argue anymore.

Walking down the hall upstairs back to the bedrooms they were nearly bowled over as three eight year old boys, naked as the day they were born, came streaking down the hall.

"Watari, give us back our pants!" the lagging two yelled at the forerunner. Watari just laughed and continued running.

Neina and Hisoka both blinked after they'd sped by. "Well," Neina said, "so much for modesty."

----------------------------------------

Neina sighed and flung herself down on the bed. "Good lord. You know, I think those boys can actually run faster with out their clothes slowing them down."

Hokuto laughed. "You know, we aren't exactly sparkling clean either."

Neina turned one lazy green eye to him but otherwise didn't move. "And what would you recommend?"

"I was thinking we should take a bath too."

"Together?"

"Well that is my favorite way to…get clean. And it will help you relax."

"Ah, but then when I'm nice and relaxed you'll take advantage of me and do something 'unclean'."

"That was the general plan, yes."

"Pervert."

"I'm not hearing a 'no'," he leered. Leaning down he kissed her deeply as he slipped his arms under her and carried her to the bathroom. "And if I remember correctly," he continued, "you're the one who bought that extra large tub as an 'anniversary present'."

Neina just grinned and pushed the door shut behind them.

------------------------------------------------------

Hehehe…romantic perversion.

REVIEW and SUGGEST. As you can tell, I'm running out of ideas. (jennamarie, I'm using that one you sent me for later, you'll see.)


	9. Memory of a Song Long Past

Alright, here are two stories. First one just for kicks and the last one is pure grade A fluff. I stayed up till 1:00 in the morning finishing it so sorry if there are any errors (well…more than usual.)

**Hiyami: **I like a little perversion in my romance. Makes things spicy! I'm thinking I might have to do a picture of our favorite Minigami's streaking. And Games I can work with, I think. Just have to decide what kind…

**Laustic:** Thank you!! More adorable moments ahead, I guarantee!

**Kouri18:** I'm glad you like so much about it. I do my best to stay in character so hearing that I managed it is a relief. Hope you like this as much, though beware of Hisoka being…sweet, for lack of a better word. Not exactly in character, but he's half asleep and vulnerable so I think it works.

**Jennamarie:** It's a good idea, I just have a specific chapter I want to work it into. This one ain't it! Maybe you shouldn't read these at work…I'm use to getting odd looks for laughing out of the blue, it's just something I do (that rhymes!!). I really think I'm going to have to do a picture of them streaking now!

**DesertQueen:** That's all I needed to hear...er, see.

Enjoy!

---------------------------------------------------

1) Every Picture Has a Story

The boys all started as three thick photo albums were set on the table between their lunches. Looking up they saw Neina grinning as she began arranging them.

"Neina, what're you doing?" Watari asked as he scooted his sandwich further away from the books.

She chuckled as she sat down in the nearest empty seat. "I thought you guys might like to see some pictures of Hokuto and me when we were younger. Especially Hokuto," she cackled. Picking up a purple one with a silver moon embossed on the cover and opening it she grinned. "Took me forever to find this one. He hid it on top of one of the shelves in the library. You're grandmother Tsukiko gave it to me before she died."

"Tsukiko?"

"Mm-hm. Tsukiko Kurosaki. You're grandfather Arashi had been raised at a temple as an orphan and never took a last name, so he took hers instead. I never met him though, he died when Hokuto first started in the guard before I could." She smiled sadly. "They didn't part on good terms, your father and grandfather. Anyway, want to see my favorite picture of little Hokuto?"

They all huddled around as she flipped through the pages. Stopping on one towards the front she pointed to the photo in the upper corner.

"…Neina, I just see a little girl in a kimono," Hisoka said.

Neina was having difficulty talking through a sudden fit of laughing but managed to choke out her response. "No…what you s-see (giggle) is your father in a kimono!"

All four gaped at the photo. Hokuto's hair was shorter than it was now and his face was more babyish, almost feminine, and he was dressed in an indigo kimono with pink cherry blossoms cascading over white umbrellas. And not looking happy about it.

"_That's_ Hokuto?!" Watari finally half laughed, half shouted.

"Yep! It was a tradition once that—"

Hokuto, coming in to inspect the sudden shout, froze when he saw what was in her hands. Lunging, he snatched up the book and pressed it closed against his chest. "Neina!! You swore you wouldn't show anyone those pictures ever again!!"

Neina just smiled. "I swore I would never show the Guard the photos again. The boys aren't in the guard, never were."

He fumed at her silently until Tsuzuki spoke up. "Uh, Hokuto…why…?"

Still fuming he set the book on an empty chair and then sat down on it to keep it well away from the others. "It was my father. There was a tradition once that if you dressed a boy in women's clothing he would grow up to be a strong man."

The boys all blinked and looked at one another. "That…makes absolutely no sense," Hisoka finally said.

"Actually, I think I remember hearing something like that," Tatsumi said. "Sometimes they were even given girl's names."

"Yeah well mines unisex, so I at least lucked out there," he sighed. "Be thankful your grandfather was around when you were a kid, Hisoka, or I'm sure he would've had you in a lovely little pink number."

Neina stared at him sternly. "It still would've been better than your mother's relatives."

He flinched and looked at Hisoka apologetically. "Ah, yes. You're right."

Hisoka shrugged, trying to look idle as he swept the crumbs from lunch off the table. "I got through it."

"That you did! You didn't need to where a kimono to become a strong man!" Hokuto ruffled his hair. Hisoka flushed slightly and tried to smooth his hair back down.

"I just find it funny it looked so good on you then. Now…" Neina looked up and grimaced a little. "You wouldn't make an attractive woman."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

She shrugged, reaching out and taking up another album. "You're too broad shouldered now. And your face is too...angular. You're definitely a handsome man, beloved, but as a woman you'd look like a pro-wrestler or something."

"Oh…" He looked torn between being pleased and being perturbed. _So I'm handsome but I would make an ugly woman…should I be insulted or flattered?_

"What about you Neina?" Watari asked. "Any embarrassing pictures of you?"

"Oh, I'm sure there are. Though I think Hokuto has any of mine beat." She smiled radiantly at his withering glare. "Let's see…well, here's one of me when my father was trying to teach me how to cook." They all looked at the picture she was pointing too. It was of a young short-haired Neina smiling into the camera abashedly and holding what looked like a meteor that had burned up on entering Earth's atmosphere in a pan. "That was my first attempt at bread. Burned it but good."

"_You_ burned it?" Tatsumi said.

"Yeah," she laughed a little wanly. "I used to burn everything when I tried to cook. Even soup."

"Really?" Watari asked. "I just can't imagine that."

"I think you said it was when you first lived with your master that you got good at cooking," Hokuto said.

"Yep. It was either that or eat Sagara-sensei's cooking." She shuddered. "Gods, that was one of the reasons I had to become so strong. It was a battle forcing it down sometimes."

"If that cold remedy soup of his is any indication, I pity you," Hokuto laughed.

"He invented that?" Tsuzuki asked. "Was the man a sadist?"

She laughed and shook her head. "No, he was actually a very kind man. Just…a bit out there."

"Is that your mom?" Watari asked and pointed to a woman in another photo.

"Yes, that's her," she replied fondly. She was very demure and looked rather timid unlike her daughter though there was an obvious family resemblance. Long golden waves fell down her shoulders and dark green eyes stared dazedly back at the camera. "More like a rabbit to my dragon, but that's her." She turned the page.

"Waaah! Neina, is that you?!" Tsuzuki said. He jabbed a finger at a picture of chubby toddler covered in mud with one dirty hand in her mouth.

"Y-yeah that's me," she said.

"I knew you were a messy eater when you were younger, but really love," Hokuto grinned.

"Kimono," she said simply. Hokuto glowered before reaching for the other album. "Hey, this is the one with pictures from work, isn't it?"

"Yep." She passed the book to the boys who continued to flip through it. There were several dozen pictures of Neina and her family when she was younger. It looked as though when she turned six she'd cut her hair short to the back of her head in a more tomboyish style that seemed to suit her quite well.

"Why'd you cut your hair back then?" Watari asked.

Neina looked over from browsing through the other book and smirked. "I didn't like it long. The people who knew our family well kept comparing me to Verdette."

"Then why'd you grow it out?"

Neina paused as if considering her answer.

"Sagara-sensei said he liked it," Hokuto answered for her. There was the tiniest edge in his voice.

"Hokuto…" she warned.

"What? That's what you first told me…"

Hisoka looked up at his mother, then to his father, then back when he comprehended the underlying tones and emotions coming from both. "Neina, did you have a crush on your sensei?"

Neina was silent a moment, her gaze sliding away from all of them. "…Maybe. A little one."

"You said he was your first love," Hokuto said.

"No beloved," she said calmly looking up at him. "He was my first crush. You're my first love."

Dark blue eyes widened for a moment and he blushed at the sincerity in her voice, as did the other boys at such a heartfelt admission. "Oh…okay then, uh…"

"That and I was training so hard I just kind of forgot it was growing out after a while and never bothered to cut it." She laughed as the boys sweat dropped.

She continued to flip through the albums not currently being guarded by Hokuto's butt.

"Why do you like pictures so much?" Hisoka finally asked. "You have books full of them and you're always looking through them."

Neina smiled and cradled her chin in her hands. "They help me to remember. Some of these people are…gone. I don't want to forget them or the good times I had with them so I started taking pictures as often as I could."

"I remember Captain barred you from taking your camera to work after the…closet incident."

Neina blushed and grimaced. "In my defense, Schroeder and Newt should not have been doing _that_ in the closet at work. Although I did get some lovely shots of Newt's legs in the process."

"Yeah, and Schroeder confiscated all of them."

"Actually, I had him give us leeway on our budget right afterwards in exchange for them."

"Really?" he laughed.

"Yep. I didn't care what he did with them, and I didn't want to know." They both laughed and the boys all wondered if they should bar Neina from taking a camera to the ministry in the future lest she should use it to her advantage.

-----------------------------------------------

2) Lullabies of Broken Dreams

Darkness. So much darkness. It was choking…burning…he had to get out, had to run. But where?

'_Monster!'_

'_Demon!'_

'_Just stay there in the dark, where you belong!'_

A door at the end of a spindly stair case burst open. Red light spilled into the darkness, framing a figure dressed in white at the top of the stairs. But it was no angel.

He smiled.

'_Well I see I've found you, my little doll.'_

Neina sat bolt upright, sweating and panting. She brought her hands up to her head and concentrated on getting her mind in control. _It's not real, it's not real, it was only a dream based on what I saw in Hisoka's mind. It's not real._ She continued to breathe deeply but her heart was still hammering away in her chest. The emotions of fear and despair just would not leave. _It's not real, it's not real! It isn't happening, I'm just—_

_It is happening._

Her head snapped up when she realized it wasn't her own emotions she was feeling. Jumping out of bed she didn't even register her husband's surprised exclamation. She threw the door open and skidded into the hall, almost crashing into the wall. She bound down the hall until she reached her son's room and quickly pushed open the door.

He was moaning in his sleep, head turned toward her so she could see the way his face was screwed up in pain and fear. Her first instinct was to rush in and wake him forcefully, but she knew that wouldn't work well. Calming herself she knelt next to him and pressed her hands to the sides of his face.

"Hisoka. Hisoka, it's okay, I'm here. You're just having a nightmare. Hisoka, wake up…wake up…wake up, honey…" She whispered soothing words and endearments as she transmitted feelings of calm and strength into him. It was difficult, he hadn't removed the dampener from around his neck and it was even affecting her now that she was within range. She had to rely on watching his face to know what was happening.

Slowly his face relaxed until all the tension left it. He opened his eyes and stared up at her in drowsy bewilderment.

"M-mom?" he croaked as he sat up. She smiled and nodded, taking her hands away.

"You were having a nightmare. I felt it all the way down the hall."

"Really? Sorry." He said and rubbed one of his eyes. They were disturbingly red and puffy. "I'm fine now, really."

"Don't apologize, it's not your fault. And don't bottle up your emotions, that will just make them worse."

"Y-yeah, I know, it's just…" He sniffed a little and rubbed at his eyes. "I…I was doing so good. I hadn't had one in so long. Why now?"

Neina looked at him in sympathy. "Hisoka…" Reaching out, she gently took him into her arms and held him against her. "I don't know. Nightmares are strange things, they can strike without warning or reason." Either he was very upset or still very tired because he did not put up a fight.

"I just…I thought maybe I was finally moving past it. That I could finally…just live."

She curled around him and cooed as much comfort as she could to him. He sniffed again and wiped furiously at his eyes. She began rocking him back and forth gently, still shushing his fears. Ever so quietly she began singing to him.

"_See the pyramids along the Nile_

_Watch the sunrise from a tropic isle_

_Just remember darling all the while_

_You belong to me_

_See the marketplace in old Angier_

_Send me photographs and souvenirs_

_Just remember when a dream appears_

_You belong to me_."

"_And I'll be so alone without you._"

She gasped and looked up as Hokuto walked in, his rough unpolished voice lending to hers.

"_Maybe you'll be lonesome too."_

She smiled as he sat down on the bed next to them, petting the slowly succumbing Hisoka.

"_Fly the ocean in a silver plane_

_See the jungle when it's wet with rain_

_Just remember till you're home again_

_You belong to me_

_You belong to me."_

The blonde boy's breathing finally evened out as his eyes slid closed.

They were silent for a few moments before Hokuto finally spoke. "Nightmare?"

"Yeah."

"Hm…that was your favorite song to sing him when he was a baby," he said wistfully.

"It always worked. Still does, evidently."

He reached out and stroked his hair again. "I think he could stand some company tonight. Shall we bring him with us?"

She looked up, surprise fading into a rueful smile. "We'll hear it from him in the morning."

"Yeah, but that's still a few hours away." Gently taking him from her he rose and walked out the room back to their bed. Neina shook her head but smiled and followed.

Flames…so many flames…and someone coming through them…no…NO! He'll burn away, into nothing! Go back! Just go back! Just leave me! Don't leave me! Save me! Leave! Stay! Just don't die!!

Tsuzuki gasped and sat up. He shook his head, trying to get the last image out of his mind. _Hisoka…_

Getting out of bed he padded out his door into the hall. Counting the doors he stopped outside his partner's and gulped. _I'll just check and see that he's alright. I won't get any sleep if I don't_. Opening the door he poked his head in. He blinked when his eyes landed on the bed. _He…he's not there?!_ Closing the door he paused for a millisecond before opening it again. Still no Hisoka.

Closing it again he whimpered a little. Walking down the hall, he opened the next door and stuck his head in. Watari was fast asleep in his bed, 003 curled up on the pillow next to him. Tsuzuki looked all around from the door but saw no sign of the other blonde. He was about to close the door when a soft sound stopped him.

"Tsuzuki?" Watari asked groggily. He fumbled a little on the nightstand before his fingers finally closed around his glasses. Bringing them up, he frowned sleepily at him. "It is you. What're you doing at my door this late?"

"Oh, uh…sorry I woke you, I just…" He sighed. "I had a bad dream. I wanted to see Hisoka but…he's not in his room."

"Really?" Watari perked at that. "That's odd. You want me to help you look?"

"Would you?"

"Sure. I can't go back to sleep after hearing that. If he's started sleep walking we could be in trouble." Watari climbed out of bed, the little owl fluttering to perch on top of his head. "Let's wake Tatsumi, he'll want to help."

"You sure? Tastumi can be grouchy when he's had a good night's sleep. He's really scary when he's tired."

"Yeah, well, none of us have our powers so it's not like he can do much."

"He can yell."

"And that will wake bon and bring him right back to us. Either way we win."

"I guess…" They crept out of Watari's room and across the hall to the mini-fied secretary from hell's door. Opening it, Watari walked over and poked him in the shoulder.

"Hey. Hey! Tatsumi! Tat-su-mi! Wakey wakey, eggs and bakey!" The boy shifted, curling defensively like a hedgehog into his blanket. "Tatsumi, we have a problem."

"You have a deathwish?" Came a gravely reply.

"Nooooo…bon's missing."

He shifted again, turning over and gracing them with one blue eye from the darkness. "Come again?"

"Bon. He's missing. He's not in his room."

"Neither are you two."

"Yeah, but we both know where we are. We don't know where he is. So get up and join the search party!"

The eye glowered at them. "I highly doubt this requires a search party. He couldn't have gone far."

"You don't know that. Sleep walkers can really get around if they try."

"What makes you say he's sleepwalking?"

"Well, it's either that or he's been kidnapped."

"Kidnapped?!" Tsuzuki wailed. "Kidnapped?! No! Hisoka!!"

"Tsuzuki, calm down, he hasn't been kidnapped. Maybe he just went to the restroom." _I doubt anyone could get into this crazy apartment to kidnap anything._

"The restroom?" Tsuzuki slowly smiled. "Yeah, that's got to be it! He just went to the restroom. He's probably back in his room by now."

"There you see? Now leave so I can get back to sleep."

"But what if he's not in his room?" Tatsumi glared at the scientist again before sighing and untangling himself from the blanket.

"Fine. I'll go with both of you and when you see that he's back in his bed will you leave me alone?"

"Fine," Watari sniffed. _Mr. Superiority-Complex_.

All three padded out of the room in their bare feet back to Hisoka's room. Opening the door, Tsuzuki's shoulders slumped. "He's not here…"

Tatsumi frowned and rubbed his disheveled head in perplexity. "That is odd."

"Told you. C'mon, we should go tell Neina and Hokuto. They should know their son has been kidnapped by sleepwalking bears."

Tatsumi blinked at him before following with an annoyed look. _I do shudder to think what goes on in that man's…boy's mind some days._

The all huddled outside the master bedroom, a little apprehensive about waking their two 'guardians' as late as it was. Finally Watari opened the door and they crept in. Halfway to the side of the bed they all paused and gaped. Hisoka was there, asleep in between his two parents, sprawled out in the middle of the huge king size bed.

"He was here the whole time!" Watari whispered. "How do you like that?"

"I like it better than you're kidnapping theory. Lets leave them be and go back to our own beds."

"Wait." Tsuzuki silently stalked up to the side of the bed. Leaning up, he sighed quietly. _Just fine. It was just a nightmare._

"Tsuzuki?" He jolted at the soft voice and looked apologetically up at Neina. "What're you doing here?"

"Uh, well…I had a…a bad dream and…"

"A nightmare?"

"Y-yeah."

Neina blinked blearily at him before suddenly reaching over and scooping him up. "Hisoka too. More the merrier…" she yawned. Looking up, she noticed the other two still lingering at the front of the room. Smiling sleepily she motioned for them to join all of them on the bed. "More the merrier…" she said again.

It was crowded, that was certain, but they somehow made it work. It was a good thing the bed was rather large. Tsuzuki managed to worm his way into a spot next to Hisoka, facing him on his side. As everyone else drifted off he watched the sleeping youth contently. Until the green eyes fluttered open and blinked at him.

"…'Sato...?"

"Yeah, uh, hi?" he said quietly. "Everyone's asleep, I really don't know how this—"

"You have a bad dream?" Tsuzuki blinked but nodded. Hisoka yawned but reached out his hand to clasp the other's loosely. His lips began moving the tiniest bit and softly Tsuzuki could hear a song whispered over the snores and breaths of the other occupants of the bed.

"_See the pyramids…along the Nile…watch the…the sunrise from a tropic isle…Just remember darling," _it got very quiet there and if Tsuzuki didn't already know the song he would've missed the word, _"all the while…you belong to me."_

"_See the market place in old Angier._" Hisoka's eyes widened the tiniest bit as the purple-eyed boy joined him quietly. This song was from a time close to his own, he'd heard it often over the years. _"Send me photographs and souvenirs. Just remember when a dream appears, you belong to me."_

The blonde smiled and tightened his hold on the other's fingers. _"And I'll be so alone without you…maybe…maybe…"_ he faltered for the next words in his sleep addled brain but Tsuzuki was ready.

"_Maybe you'll be lonesome too._ Good night, Hisoka."

Hisoka smiled and curled closer to the older boy. "Good night, Asato." They closed their eyes, their fingers still entwined till the first light of the morning.

--------------------------------------------

Ahhhhh!! The sweet fluffiness!!! Don't look directly at it, it will turn you into a sap!!

You know the drill. REVIEW and SUGGEST. I'll be sleeping. Night!


	10. Ficlets

Its back!! Sorry it took so long, got sidetracked with Like the Rain.

IT'S A REAL SONG. Forgot to put the copyright in the last chapter so I'll put it here.

'You Belong to Me' belongs to it's rightful owner. Wish I could say I wrote it cause I love the song, but I didn't. Look it up, it's very nice!

Oh, and Fatal Frame is property of Konami.

**jennamarie:** The llamas were on vacation at the time so the bears were filling in. Hisoka will keep the dampener in this story but his has taken it off in Like the Rain now so yay for him growing up!!

**Kaouri18:** I need to draw a proper pic of Hokuto just so everyone can see he _would_ make a horrible woman. Glad you get it though XD That was possibly the fluffiest thing I've ever written but I'm glad you liked it.

**laustic: **Look up the song somewhere (I-tunes, youtube, whatever) cause it's even better set to music ;)

**Hiyami:** lol, I almost made you squeal eh? I'm not sure how they got the album back but I'm sure Neina 'enticing' him had something to do with it. I think I'll use that idea in a later chapter. And no problem! Sorry for the _really_ late update!!

**Psychodahlia**: Woot! You're new!! Thank you for the suggestions, I actually did use them. Read on and thank you again!!

**DesertQueen**: You're welcome!! Not my song but thanks!

All ficlets involving games were inspired by the rather broad suggestion put forth by _**Hiyami**_!!!

----------------------------------------------

1) Videogames

"So…how does this work again?" Hokuto asked. He held the controller loosely, looking rather perplexedly at the many buttons and sticks that would rotate and snap back when he pushed on them.

Watari sighed. "The buttons let you do stuff, like pick things up and jump and select weapons or items or attack. The joystick lets you move around. Really Hokuto it's not that hard."

"Watch your tone, kid. And considering I've nearly mastered that computer thing you keep going on about, I'm sure I'll be fine with this…uh…"

"Videogame."

"Right. So what game did you all rent again for this thing?"

Hisoka picked up the box and stared at it rather dubiously. "Fatal Frame. Evidently it has something to do with ghosts."

"Really?" Tsuzuki asked. He pulled the comforter a little tighter around him. "Why'd you pick that, Watari?"

"It looked cool! And the video store guy said it was really good. He also said something about not being able to sleep for a few days…"

"Oh come on, it can't be that bad. We've all dealt with much scarier things than simple ghosts. Pop it in and let's get this party started!"

It was about two hours later when Neina, coming home from helping out at the ministry, walked into the living room on a rather peculiar picture. "Why are all of you huddled under that blanket together?"

Hokuto's hand ventured out from its safe haven to point at the TV screen, colored blood red with options listed in a box at the center. "Evil shrine maiden…ropes and…little girls in kimonos…it's scarier than it looks…can you beat it for us?"

-------------------------------------------

2) Soccer

Tsuzuki bounced the ball a little more on the edge of his toes as the others walked out onto the field. "So, does everyone know how to play?" They'd come to the park and he'd taken the soccer ball with him this time to try and get everyone to play.

"I actually don't," Neina said. "You're not supposed to use your hands?"

"Nope. Not unless you're the goalie. All you do is kick it across the field into the net. Here," he kicked the ball to her. "Try it."

She frowned but shrugged. Sliding to toe of her foot under the ball, she gave a few experiment bounces upward. Then she suddenly kicked it high into the air, jumped up and gave a flying kick that sent it rocketing from the middle of the field to the goal at the far end hard enough to almost puncture the rope netting.

The boys all stared open mouthed.

"She's on my team!" Watari piped.

---------------------------------------

3) Relaxation Time? (Also inspired by a suggestion by _Psychodahilia_ that I really liked )

Tatsumi sighed and stretched out on the couch. It was one of those rare moments when the others were all busy in their own endeavors and leaving him alone. He wished he could catch up on the paper work he imagined was in his office in towering columns but with his powers gone he could not transport there and being roughly four-foot one he couldn't drive a car.

As such he had to busy himself with the only other thing that would put him at ease: a game of Sudoku. There was something about trying to organize the numbers within the boxes that made him feel, if not relaxed, then at least as if his stress was somehow alleviated.

"Hisoka!!!" Tatsumi jumped at the call and sank further behind the couch with his pencil and game book. "Hisoka!! Where are you?"

"I'm over here."

"Oh! Do you want to go play outside?"

_Please say yes,_ Tatsumi thought despondently. Relaxation time did not involve two of his co-workers yelling across the house to each other five feet from him.

"Sure. What do you want to play? Soccer?"

"Nah, the balls still flat from last time. How about golf? I saw a bunch of clubs in the closet."

"Uh…alright, but do you know how to play golf?"

"How hard could it be? Business men do it all the time."

Tatsumi sighed in relief as their footsteps finally echoed down the hall towards the game closet. _Alright, back to business…er…relaxing. If there's a one, a seven and a 4 in this box then…_

He got only a few numbers written before a loud bang made him break his pencil in half. He looked over the top of the couch towards the kitchen to see faintly pale blue smoke wafting from the top of the door.

"Watari!! How many times do I have to say it?! My kitchen is not a laboratory!!!!" Neina yelled.

"But Neina-san, I think I might've found the cure for our condition!! If I could just have a few more hours—"

"I don't care if you found the cure for cancer!! My kitchen is covered in…blue powdery stuff!! And I still have to cook dinner!!"

_Sounds like we're having take out tonight_, Tatsumi thought as he settled back into the couch. He frowned when he realized his pencil was broken and stood to go into the library where the only known pencil sharpener was. Returning he was unsurprised to see Watari walking back into the kitchen, covered in blue splotches like a smurf reject, carrying a bucket and several sponges.

Sitting back on the couch he looked at his puzzle once more. _If there's a five, a four, an eight and a…no, wait, that won't work…_

A few minutes went buy in relative silence where he felt himself finally beginning to grow peaceful. Then there was a loud crash from upstairs like the sound of glass being broken.

"What the hell?!" Hokuto yelled. "A golf ball just broke one of our windows!! What—"

"We're sorry!!!"

"We?! You took the shot baka!!!"

"Watari!!! You're 'cure' is eating through my kitchen cabinets!!!"

"Who told said you could play golf?!"

"That's interesting…I wonder what would've happened if I'd added more phosphorous…"

Tastumi sighed and closed the book to rise and go deal with the arising problems. Who was he kidding? No matter how much they wanted him to 'relax' it wasn't happening in this house.

----------------------------------------------------

4) Chess

Tsuzuki hunkered down in his chair again, glaring at the wooden chess pieces from their level. Hokuto was across from him, reading the newspaper. Tsuzuki fingered one of his rooks, trying to remember the way it was supposed to move. Hokuto didn't even look up. Tsuzuki moved his fingers to one of his pawns, the simplest of the pieces to remember which way to shuffle them across the board. Hokuto turned a page. Tsuzuki's hand went back to the rook and slapped it down on another square.

"Hah! Three more moves and you'll be—"

Hokuto moved his bishop forward without glancing from the article he was so immersed in and knocked his king down. "Checkmate."

------------------------------------------------

4) Card Shark

Neina smiled charmingly with her cards held in front of her. The boys and her husband were seated around her on the table, all grumbling and glaring at her. A good third of all the chips were stacked in front of her and the rest was divided unevenly between the five of them. The looser of this game had to clean all the bathrooms in the house.

Oh, she would never tell them her secret. She claimed that Sagara-sensei had taught her all his card secrets. He had but she had a much better weapon in her arsenal. Each time one of them got a good hand she could feel the sparks of excitement rolling off them. Each time they bluffed she felt tiny wisps of nervousness. As they said, half the game of poker was knowing when to hold them and when to fold them. And she knew each time.

Being an empath had some wonderful advantages.

---------------------------------------------------------------

5) Snuggle

She didn't know how it happened. She didn't care. It was possibly the most wonderful sight she had ever seen. As discreetly as possible she had found her camera and snapped a quick picture of it before they woke. Later she had the picture printed and set it in a special place in the photo-album. Hisoka was sure to deny it ever happened later but she had photographic evidence. She smiled and traced the edge carefully.

Hisoka and Hokuto passed out on the couch. Hisoka asleep on his father's chest, face cast in the image of perfect peacefulness and snuggled under a duvet and into Hokuto's cotton tee-shirt. One of her husband's arms cast protectively around him in a soft embrace. His other hand behind his head with a relaxed near slumber like look on his face. It just couldn't get any better than that.

-----------------------------------------------------

6) Football

Neina had yelled in surprise when they came back in from playing football. She had thought they were going to play that safe 'touch football' some of the kids in the park played. She hadn't realized they meant tackle foot ball. A chastising snap at their carelessness when they couldn't heal was on the tip of her tongue but it died when all of them, even Hisoka, looked up and grinned sheepishly.

"Had fun, did you?" she muttered. They nodded and she shook her head. "Take off you're shoes before you come in, they're covered in mud."

Hokuto had laughed when he saw them coming down the stairs. He had to grab the hand railing to stop from doubling over and rolling down the final steps. "Whoa! You guys brought the battlefield home with you I see!"

The boys looked at one another as if for the first time. They were covered in streaks of mud with blades of grass sticking to them. There were scrapes and nicks across their hands and knees from catching themselves on the ground when one of the others had gotten them. Their hair had clumps of earth in it, sticking at odd angles because of it.

"But we did have fun," Watari said. "Even Tatsumi. He really got into it after I teased him a little."

"Calling me 'bookish geek-bait' on any other day would've gotten you fired by the way."

"I'll bet!" he laughed. Neina smiled a little more fully.

"I guess this means we need a bath again, huh?" Tsuzuki said.

"A shower would work better for this I think," the blonde woman said. "Go on, we'll bandage you lot up when you get out."

The three elder boys raced upstairs toward the large master bathroom. Hisoka shifted a little and began up the stairs before he stopped and turned down the hallway.

"You okay?" she asked as he passed. He knew what she meant.

"I've got scrapes and cuts and bruises and dirt in places I didn't think dirt could get to," he muttered sourly.

She blinked but smirked. "But…"

He looked up at her and smiled through the streaks of dirt. "It was a lot of fun!"

-------------------------------------------------------

7) …But I know what I like! (Another piece inspired by _Psychodahlia_'s suggestions)

"Museums…are…boring!!" Tsuzuki said and folded his arms.

"Tsuzuki, it's an art museum. It's not boring," Neina said as the hiked the steps up the building. "Besides, this is one of my favorite artists when I was younger and it's the last day of the exhibit."

"Hmph…so it's old art."

"What was that?" she growled.

"Nothing!" He sighed and trudged up the steps. Hisoka was waiting for him to catch up at the top.

"C'mon Tsuzuki, it won't be so bad. You'd be ten times as board if it was a history museum or something."

"That's true," he conceded. Art wasn't so bad. History though was boring enough that he'd be asleep on his feet in minutes of touring.

When they were inside and their passes were bought Hokuto handed them stickers to denote they were paying guests. "Okay. You guys can go off and tour on your own without us but pair up and meet us in front of…uh, that," he pointed to a statue of twisted winding metal with a clock face at the top, "in one hour. Got it?"

"Got it," they all said. Tatsumi and Watari headed off in one direction while Tsuzuki idly shuffled off to a nearby gallery where he saw a bench. Maybe he could just nap for an hour.

"Tsuzuki, what are these?"

He paused when Hisoka spoke to him, his full attention driven to him the way it always was. Walking over he actually stopped breathing when he saw the peace he was pointing at. A beautiful black haired girl stood beneath a lattice of winding magenta flowers, staring at a young man whose back was turned. She was wearing a Victorian style dress of white and dark blue that made her startling eyes stand out. The girl…reminded him of his sister.

"Tsuzuki? Are you okay?" Hisoka asked.

"Y…yeah, I'm alright. What were you saying?"

"I was wondering what type of flower that was. You know more about flowers than me."

He took a closer look at the vines wrapped around the lattice and nodded. "It's gloxinia. It means—"

"Love at first sight." The jolted at the knew voice but relaxed as it trailed off into a warm laugh. Looking behind them they saw an old woman sitting not far away. "Forgive me, I didn't mean to startle you. I over heard you're conversation and couldn't resist answering. I'm impressed with you young man. Not many know the meaning of flowers these days."

Hisoka bowed a little to show respect and Tsuzuki fumbled to follow suit.

"My sister taught me about it."

"I see…" She looked at the painting and her smile turned wistful. "Very lovely, isn't it? This is the painting I came to see. The artist was in love with that girl. That's why she's standing beneath the gloxinia."

"Is that him then?" Hisoka asked and pointed to figure turned away.

Her smiled dimmed a little and she shook her head. "No. That was the man she did love. The artist never made his feelings known."

"Then…how do you know he loved her?"

She looked up at the portrait again. "He told her…right before he died. He was a very sick man and painted this near his end." She rose, leaning heavily on a silver walking can…covered in carved gloxinia. She shuffled over and stood above them, though not far. "Let an old woman give you two young men some advice. If you find someone you love with all your heart, tell them. Even if they love someone else, tell them. Because there's always a chance…always that they could love you back one day. And then, even if it doesn't last forever, you can look back on what was instead of what could've been."

They two shinigamis blinked, drinking in the words spoken in the clear dry voice carefully before they nodded. The woman may have been surprised at the understanding in their faces but she never let on. Her eyes just smiled as she turned away and walked back towards the exit. Eyes that Tsuzuki couldn't help but think would stand out very well if she was wearing dark blue and white…

"Hisoka?" The blonde turned to him, evidently having been lost in thoughts of his own. "You want to walk around and look at some of the other paintings?"

He blinked and nodded. "I thought they were boring to you though?"

He smiled and threaded his hand into his. "I may not know art, but I know what I like. Right?"

Hisoka smiled warmly and clasped his hand tighter. "Right."

------------------------------------------------

Right, that's it for the shorts. Back to the main story-ish thing.

REVIEW AND SUGGEST.


	11. Role Reversal

All reviews shall be answered next chapter because of the double update. Enjoy!

------------------------------------

Tsuzuki cracked one eye open and glared at the sun. _Mmm…don't wanna get up…but I'd better or Neina'll come in and blast me out of bed like last time._ Groaning he pushed the covers back and swung his bare legs out of bed. He blinked some more but couldn't keep his eyes open for more than a few seconds even as he walked through the hallway to the bathroom. He leaned on the counter, not noticing that he was a good three feet taller than it and didn't need one of the step stools provided for them.

Lenaing in, he inspected his face critically. "Hmmm…I need a shave…" That caused him to pause. Eight-year-olds did not need to shave. His eyes snapped open as he took in his once again older appearance in the mirror. The pajamas he had worn on his small frame last night were in tatters around him to the point where he was essentially nude.

"OH MY GOD!!!!"

Tsuzuki's cry of surprised elated relief had woken up the rest of the house. Tatsumi had woken up, put on his glasses and was halfway to the door when he realized what had happened. Watari realized it after rolling onto the floor and sitting up. Hisoka had nearly fallen back asleep when he realized he was returned to his sixteen year old body and nearly vaulted out the door to see if the same was true for the others. All four boys-now once again men-stood gawking at one another in the hallway.

"What's going on?!" Hokuto threw open the door to their bedroom and stepped out shirtless with a pair of blue striped pajama bottoms. "What's wrong, why—Whoa!" He paused as he took in their larger forms in slack jawed surprise. "You…wha…how…"

"What is it beloved?" Neina asked. She came out behind him, wearing a blue striped pajama top that obviously belonged to her husband's bottoms. Her long hair was in disarray and she was rubbing one eye tiredly. "I thought you said we could sleep in after—Whoa!!" She nearly jumped back in surprise when she noticed them. "Y-you're all older again!"

"So it would seem," Tatsumi said breathlessly. He wiggled the fingers of his hands as if it were all a dream and they would suddenly turn to caterpillars. When they didn't he accepted it was real and smiled. "Well, this is a relief! It's been almost a month and a half, I was beginning to think…Neina, what's wrong?"

The blonde woman had suddenly turned an amazing shade of red before turning and covering her eyes. "Hokuto…do you think you could find them all some pants?"

-----------------------------------------------------

Two hours later found all of them back at the bureau in Watari's lab, getting a 'post youthination check-up'. They had their old clothes back though Neina still blushed if she looked at them too long. Hisoka too was having trouble looking at his partner. When he'd realized his state of undress he'd reflexively looked at him…to see him staring intently with a small dribble of blood coming from his nose. He'd been unable to look him in the eyes since.

"So how does it look?" he asked Watari. That was safe, Watari hadn't seen anything. Right?

"It looks just fine!" he said cheerily. "Looks like it just finally worked its way out of our system. We're all back to normal."

"Wonderful. Then we can get back to work," Tatsumi said.

"Awhhh…But Tatsumi-saaaan…" Tsuzuk whined.

"No buts," he said darkly. "I've lost nearly two months of time, as have the rest of you. Get back to work immediately. Now!"

"Can we have a second to eat something first?" Watari asked.

Tatsumi paused before sighing. "Fine. Get something to eat then get back to work. I'll be in my office."

"You need to eat too," he pointed out. "C'mon. I think Wakaba's making lots of goodies in the break room even as we speak to welcome us back." Before the stoic man could argue he was being pulled out by the scientist with the others in their wake.

"Oh, Watari-san? Did you say you had some green tea in the fridge in your lab?" Neina asked.

"Yeah."

"Do you think it would still be good? Green tea sounds really good right now."

"Sure! It's my special batch. It would out last a nuclear explosion and still be safe to drink."

"Do I want to know how you know that?" Tatsumi asked. Neina laughed and turned back to the lab as the others headed on.

"It is safe, right?" Hokuto asked seriously. "I want a wife, not a husband or a hamster."

Watari puffed his cheeks out indignantly. "It's perfectly safe! I haven't done anything to that tea!...I think."

"Neina! Love, wait for me, I'm thirsty too!" He bolted back to the lab.

"Speaking of concoctions, you don't have anymore of _that_ potion left, do you?" Tatsumi asked.

"Nope. Well, I did make extra but I'll toss that out soon as I get back to the lab. It's probably discolored with age anyway."

"Discolored?"

"Yeah. When it starts going bad it turns a sort of green-brown in color. And it gets kind of sweet too I think."

"Like…tea?" Hisoka asked worriedly.

"Yeah, a little."

"Watari…where did you put this extra potion?"

"Its…" He stopped stock still as did the others with growing horror. "It's…in my fridge…" They all paused for almost a full minute before turning and racing back to the lab. Watari threw open the door only to step back in surprise as billows of pale green smoke wafted from the open doorway.

"Oh crap!" Tsuzuki said. He took of his coat and began swatting it in front of them, holding his breath all the while.

"Neina!! Hokuto!!" Hisoka yelled into the room. They walked in as the smoke slowly started to clear away. "Mom!? Dad?!" he called worriedly.

Tiny coughs caught their attention and they rushed to in back of one of the counters, near the fridge. They all gaped at two children drenched in clothing to large for them. One had short blonde hair that fell gracefully atop her head. The other had black hair cropped short to the back of his head with longer bangs in front that almost fell into his eyes.

Tatsumi groaned and slumped onto the counter. "Dammit! Watari, why in the hell didn't you toss that potion _the moment we came back_?!"

"Well it never occurred to me Neina and Hokuto might mistake it for tea and drink it!!" Watari flinched as Tatsumi's hands flexed and scratched the counter top before he stood up and marched toward the door.

"I better go tell the chief not to celebrate too soon," he growled.

Watari pouted and crossed his arms. "Honestly, it's not like this is _all _my fault."

"_You_ made the potion," Hisoka pointed out.

"Yeah but its not like I told them to drink it!"

"Uh, guys?" Tsuzuki said.

"You left it in a fridge with tea! What did you think the odds of someone mistaking it for a drink were? We're lucky no one drank it while we were gone!"

"Guys?"

"No one goes in my fridge when I'm not here! At least they shouldn't!"

"Guys!" They jumped at Tsuzuki's shout and followed his pointing finger down to see two sets of wide innocent eyes staring up at them in shock.

Hisoka did his best to put on a reassuring smile and knelt before them. "Uh, hey…Don't worry, we're going to work this out so just…" He'd reached out a hand to put on his mother's shoulder only to blink as she backed up with a fearful expression. "Neina?"

That seemed to make her even more afraid. Hokuto was backing up slowly as well, eyeing them suspiciously and purposely putting himself between them and the littler girl.

"What's wrong? Hokuto? Neina?" Watari reached out to them. They suddenly bolted, running around the edge of the counter and for the door.

"Hey!" Tsuzuki had quickly strode around it and caught a struggling Hokuto around the middle. "Let go!!" Neina didn't even pause and just ran out the door. Hisoka cursed and followed her quickly. "I said let go!!" young Hokuto growled again, squirming in the larger man's grip.

"Will you calm down?! It's not like we'd hurt you, Hokuto!"

"How do you know my name!?" Tsuzuki did let go at that. He landed on his feet and glared defiantly back up at him. "Who are you, you weirdo?"

-----------------------------------------------

Hisoka gasped as he finally caught up to his now child mother. She had run out of the building despite him telling her to stop. She now hid behind one of the cherry trees near the path, peeking out at him every now and then.

"Neina, what's wrong? Why did you run?"

"Don't call me that!" He blinked, not only at the small voice but at the frightened tone it used. "No one's supposed to call me that! It's the bad name!"

He blinked again, completely lost. "Neina…?" She hid further behind the tree when he took a step forward and he stopped, fearing she would run again. If she got lost here they might never find her. "Wh…what should I call you then?"

"I'm not supposed to talk to strangers," she said suspiciously.

"Stra…I'm not a stranger," he laughed. It was a nervous laugh. What was going on here?

"Yes you are. I've never met you before so you're a stranger. And I shouldn't be talking to you! Where's my mommy and daddy?!"

Hisoka felt as if all the air in his body just turned to lead. "Y-your…Neina, how old are you?"

"I said stop calling me that, strange-man! And I'm six!"

_Six…? Oh shit—_

"Hisoka!!" They both jumped and Neina retreated back behind the tree. Tsuzuki was running down the path with Hokuto in his arms. "Hisoka!! They can't remember! The potion gave them a _full_ regression!"

"A what?"

Tsuzuki paused to catch his breath and set Hokuto down. He tilted his head at Neina, who had come out slightly to look at the newcomers curiously. "The potion was going bad. Instead of just turning their bodies young, it turned their minds young too! They can't remember past the age they regressed to!"

He paused when he felt a tug on his pants leg and looked down to see Hokuto pulling on it. "Tsuzuki-san, who's that girl?" he whispered. "She's really cute!"

Hisoka felt a smile tug his lips despite himself. "Her name's…Sakuya. Do you think you could go ask her to come out from hiding? She won't listen to me."

He nodded and walked over to her, not even pausing as she hid further behind the tree. "It's okay. They're not as bad as they seem. I don't think they'd hurt us. Watari-san said they're supposed to take care of us." He held out his hand and smiled. "I'm Kurosaki Hokuto! And if they do try to hurt you, I'll protect you! Promise!"

Neina blinked her large eyes and blushed. She reached out, fingers fumbling in the fabric of the now oversized shirt, and let him grab her hand to lead her back over to them. She paused before bowing slightly. "I'm Haguro Sakuya. Are you really supposed to take care of us?"

"Yeah, uh…You're parents…had to go away for a while and asked us to take care of you," Hisoka said. He'd never had a problem lying before, but this was difficult.

"Where did they go? Why couldn't I go too?" Her face suddenly contorted into a woeful expression. "Why did they leave me?"

Hokuto, Tsuzuki and Hisoka didn't know what to do. She was about to cry, they all knew that, but they didn't know what to do to stop it or help.

"There you all are!" Watari exclaimed as he raced forward. "I'm sorry to say but I don't know what to do! This is beyond my earlier estimations of what would happen and—"

"Mother!" Everyone gasped as Neina—Sakuya—ran forward and hugged Watari around the leg. "You didn't leave after all! You—" She pulled back to look up and frowned. "You…you're not my mom…"

Watari smiled gently and knelt down. "No…but we're all here to take care of you Ne…" he paused at the nixing motion Hisoka gave him, mouthing 'Sakuya' over and over. "Er, Sakuya. Until everything gets back to normal. We're you're friends."

She sniffed and ran a sleeve over her eyes. "Promise?"

"Uh huh."

"So my parents will come back?"

There was a collective pause in which Hokuto was looking at them all suspiciously. Watari finally smiled and nodded. "I promise you'll see you're parents again soon. Until then you're in our care, okay?"

Sakuya looked unsure for a second before she reached out and touched Watari's forehead. The scientist let her, having an idea of what she was doing. He let his shields down completely and reflected as light a feeling as he could to make her believe him. She pulled her hand back and smiled. "Okay!"

"Good. Now follow us back inside. There are a few things I need to get straight and we need to work out. You too, Hokuto." The boy nodded and walked next to his future wife, unbeknownst to him of course.

"Watari, you shouldn't have made that promise," Hisoka said sternly.

"Why? The past is already past. In a few…er, weeks maybe she'll be back to normal with no memory of her time as a child."

"Weeks?!"

"I don't know! I only predicted what would happen if the potion was allowed to age, I never did any actual experiments! It never came up."

---------------------------------------------

An hour later found the two new children sitting in chief's office, now clothed in purchases from the store in the basement. Neina was wearing a robin's egg blue jumper over a white blouse and white tennis shoes. Hokuto chose a dark blue shirt and a pair of blue jeans over brown leather sandals. Both looked at the cheif with a small amount of fear as his head had remained on the desk after he'd struck it there with a resounding 'thwack!'.

"Alright…I think I understand." He picked up the piece of paper that had caused this latest migraine. Watari had written down as much as he had found out about what was happening with them and gave it to him with the intent that they kids wouldn't know what was really happening. "This…is another problem."

"Yes chief…we know," Tatsumi sighed.

"You all just turned back…I had hoped, _so_ hoped things could get back to some sense of normality and this happened!" He crumpled the paper in his fist. "How could you all let this happen! Bad enough they're kids but—you know what, it's you're problem now!"

"Huh?" they all asked.

"Yours. This is your problem. You four!" He jabbed a finger at his men. "You're taking care of them!"

"How are we--?" Tsuzuki began.

"Don't care! Your problem! Now out!"

"But—"

"OUT!!!"

They all quickly scuttled out the door, Neina and Hokuto pushed out in front of them. "That guy has anger issues," Hokuto muttered.

"I think he's just stressed," Neina said. "He was really happy before he saw us. Wonder why he doesn't like kids…"

"That's not something you two really need to worry about," Tatsumi said. "What we do need to worry about is where you're going to stay. They can't stay alone in the apartment."

"Mine's not big enough for another person, even a little one," Tsuzuki said.

"Yes, mine as well," he agreed.

"My apartment doesn't allow children under twelve. Something about historical value. I think it's just because the pipes are from the eighteen hundreds," Watari said.

"Well I can't handle them by myself! Even if I could, I could only let one of them stay," Hisoka said. All four men looked at one another for a moment before sighing in unison.

"You know what this means," Watari said.

"Yes. We'll be staying at Ne…at _their_ apartment for a while longer it appears. We'll just have to repack our suitcases and move back in."

"Oh well. Could be worse. Hear that kids, you're…kids?" Tsuzuki looked around to see that they were gone. "Uh…"

"Oh crap, we've lost my parents!"

-------------------------------------------------

And it stops there because I'm evil.

Back on the right schedule now.

REVIEW AND SUGGEST!! I'll be working on the next 'book' in the meantime.


	12. Sweet Dreams are Made of These

Okay, having small case of writer's block with the next book in the main series. I have story ideas of course but I don't know how to _start_ it! And I don't have a title either…I suck at titles…any ideas?

**Kouri18:** Yeah, this is going to be fun XD The meifu boys get a taste of what it's like to have kids!! LoL!!

**Hiyami**: You'll see…;D I think I can manage one of them getting sick…just got to pick which one and what…And now I am so bringing in some of the old Guard members to see their friends as kids! Ha!

**jennamarie: **Thanks! He does a little better this time around. I think it was the shock, didn't have him thinking straight. Hisoka heats things up towards the end here…heh! Tatsumi, and the other shinigami's too of course, will be having quite a few daddy or big brother moments as this goes along. And I think he wouldn't be a half bad dad too. Neina's a little more open this round. As for Hokuto and tact…I don't think they've ever been aquainted! XD

**laustic: **I LOVE IT!!! It will happen eventually, this I swear, cause dang it I want to see them try to explain it now! Wheeee!

**Psychodahlia:** I don't mean to torture him, it just happens…

-----------------------------------------------------

"Well hello there!" Wakaba smiled as two children walked into the break room. "What're doing here?" _Oh dear…they haven't been summoned have they? They're so young._

"We smelled cookies," the boy said. She smiled and took the basket from atop the counter to hold out to them.

"Go on. I made them for some friends but they haven't shown up yet. And I'm sure they wouldn't mind sharing."

"Thanks!" Wakaba blinked her mismatched eyes and tilted her head slightly. The blonde was small and dainty looking with pale skin and wide green eyes. The boy had dark hair and dark grey-blue eyes. Such familiar features…

"Hey, Wakaba! Are we running a daycare now?" Terazuma asked as he walked in. Both children looked up at him. He looked down and frowned. Boy those brats looked familiar…

"Daddy?" the smaller one asked. Terazuma almost inhaled the cigarette dangling out of his mouth. Wakaba almost dropped the cookie basket.

"What?!"

"Hajime, since when do you have a daughter?!"

"I don't! I've been dead for twenty years and that kid's like five or something!"

"I'm six! And you're definitely not my daddy, even if you are as tall as him." She huffed and took another bite of her cookie. Terazuma began muttering under his breath about 'females' and Wakaba was breathing a sigh of relief.

"What do you mean you've been dead for twenty years?" Hokuto asked.

"I'm dead. I'm shinigami. You two are in meifu, what did you expect?" he said.

"Yeah right. Meifu doesn't exist. And neither do shinigami."

Terazumi gave him a bored expression before taking his cigarette and crushing it into his palm. Both children backed up in surprise and disgust only to lean in fascination as the skin melded back together in seconds. "Don't try this at home, kiddies."

"Whoa…you're shinigami?" he looked between the two in shock. They nodded. "And we're in meifu…?" They nodded again. "Wow…oh my gosh, we're dead!!!"

"Huh?" Sakuya asked.

He took her by the shoulders and shook her slightly. "Don't you understand?! We're in Meifu, land of the dead! That means we must be dead too!"

The little girls lip's quivered and tears began falling down her cheeks. "But I don't wanna be dead!!"

"Oh, don't cry little one," Wakaba said, sending a nasty glare her partner's way. He looked at the little girl in regret. He really hadn't meant to make her cry even if she had nearly given him a heart attack with that 'daddy' thing.

"There you are!" Watari said as he stopped in the break room doorway. "I found them! Hey, whoa, why is she crying?" The others came up behind them as he knelt down and took the sobbing little girl in his arms.

"Because you filled us full of lies!!!" Hokuto accused, jabbing a finger at all of them. "You said you were just taking care of us till our parents came back, but we're really dead aren't we? And you're shinigami, aren't you?"

There was a slight pause before Tsuzuki rounded on Terazuma. "What did you do?!"

"Me?! What makes you automatically assume it was something I did?!"

"Because you screw everything up!"

"What was that, you—"

"I don't wanna be dead!!" Neina wailed again. Tears were cascading down her flushed cheeks like rivers. Watari was doing his best to try and hush her but she didn't appear to be able to stop.

A few were surprised as Tatsumi knelt down in front of her. They were even more surprised when he clapped her cheeks with his much bigger hands. Not hard, just enough to surprise her and win her complete attention. "You are not dead, Sakuya-chan. And neither are you, Hokuto. We are shinigami and this is meifu, but you are only here so we can watch over. I promise you are still very much alive." She blinked her large green eyes a few times and her tears stopped. He smiled gently and released her face. "You understand?" She nodded and rubbed her hands below her eyes to get rid of the remaining moisture. "You feel better?"

She looked up and grinned. "Yeah! But now I'm thirsty." He chuckled and rose to go over to the fridge.

"That was amazing!" Watari whispered next to him. "How did you do that? Did you use her empathy?"

"No, although I suppose that would've been simpler. I just looked her in the eyes and told the truth. I find in strange situations that's what children prefer to rationalizations or lies."

"Never knew you were so good with kids," the scientist laughed.

The secretary smirked and opened the fridge. "We all have our little talents." He turned slightly to see Wakaba entertaining both children with her charm. Hisoka had evidently given them a copy of Watari's summation. He had to admit, the look on Terazuma's face was quite something. A mixture of shock…something more than shock, maybe awe. That might be more at how his partner was handling them however. "Though I think Wakaba's instincts trump anything I can do. Sakuya-chan, what would like to drink? Tea?"

She turned and stuck out her tongue. "Yuck! No way! I want juice!"

"Juice?" He looked back into the fridge and frowned. "We don't have any juice."

"Then milk."

"Me too!" Hokuto said.

"Uh…" The only thing close to milk in the fridge was coffee creamer and half and half. He looked to Watari for help.

"I don't have juice or milk in my fridge. And in case you've forgotten, rummaging in my fridge was what got us into this."

"Geez, you guys really weren't ready to have kids here, were you?" Hokuto asked as he somehow managed to place himself between Tatsumi and the fridge without the elder man noticing. "Who does the beer and sake belong too?"

"None of you're business as you will not be drinking any of it," Tatsumi said firmly and shut the door. "Sakuya, would water be okay? There will be juice and other things like that where we all will be staying tonight."

She frowned but then smiled and nodded. "Okay! But don't make it too cold please. It hurts my teeth." She pointed at her teeth as if they didn't know where they were and they all smiled. Tatsumi took a clean Styrofoam cup from the dispenser next to the coffee machine and filled it up for her. She took it gratefully and wrapped both her small hands around it where Tatsumi only needed one.

"I'm still not sure I trust you guys…" Hokuto said and crossed his arms. "How do we know you're telling the truth now?"

"They are," Sakuya stated. "I'd know if they were lying."

"How?" he asked in confusion.

She jolted upright as if she realized what she just said then looked away from him. "I…I just can, okay?"

"But—"

"I said I just can!" She hunched over at the small yell and tried to curl in on herself.

"O-okay…"

Hisoka blinked at his mini-mother. While his dampener was still on, he still had a good grasp on body language from years of experience and observations. And if he was right, when his mother was younger she was surprisingly touchy about her empathy. _That's strange…she seemed pretty proud of it when she was older._

"Well, I think we'd all better go and get you settled at the apartment. And ourselves as well, evidently…" Tatsumi sighed.

"We're staying with all of you?"

"Yeah. Uh, Hisoka's parents have a nice big apartment they're lending us while they're…out of town," Tsuzuki said lamely.

"We've all stayed there before so we know it's big enough," Watari added. "We just need to pick up a few things from our own apartments first. And of course more things for you."

"Which is why we should go now. So we can get there before dark." Tatsumi blinked at the small tug to his trousers. Looking down, he was surprised to see little Sakuya reaching up to him. When he didn't move she faltered and let her arms fall down. She looked disappointed as she followed Hisoka and the others out the door.

"What was that about?"

"Tatsumi, I think she wanted you to carry her," Wakaba said gently.

He flushed and shook his head. Of course, how did he not realize that? _I'm not as good with children as I first thought…_

-------------------------------------------------------

"This is where we all will be staying," Tatsumi said. He took out the key he'd borrowed from Hokuto's coat pocket and placed it into the lock.

"All of us?" Hokuto asked skeptically. "This is just one apartment. How are you going to fit this many people in there?"

Tatsumi smiled and opened the door. "It's larger than it looks."

The boy's doubting look disappeared as he entered the flat. "Whoa! No kidding!"

The others entered behind them. Sakuya frowned and as she looked around. "Why's it bigger on the inside than the outside?"

"Magic," Watari smiled. She flinched as if struck by an invisible hand. She looked around worriedly, as if she thought she was breaking some valuable rule, and the others frowned. "Sakuya, what's—"

"Hey! Where are we sleeping?" Hokuto called.

The room situation was quickly cleared up. It was decided that two shinigami would stay every night to make sure nothing happened while the others went home and prepared for their shift the next day. This meant that one child could always have a guardian at all times, even if they weren't together.

"Hisoka and Tsuzuki will stay tonight and Tatsumi and I will take tomorrow's shift. We'll switch every evening after dinner."

"Agreed."

"Okay!"

"Do we get a say in this?" Hokuto asked.

"Nope," Watari smiled. "Now then, speaking of dinner, I'm kind of hungry. Neina, when…?" They paused and looked to the youthified girl examining the TV remote in the living room like it was a gift from an alien ambassador and she didn't want to seem dumb or ungrateful. She wasn't even paying attention. Hokuto walked over to try and help her figure it out and left them to their now hushed discussion. "Okay, who's cooking?"

"I could give it a shot," Tsuzuki said. "There's a new recipe I've been wanting to try for a while and—"

"Next candidate!" Watari said.

"Hey!"

"I can make fried rice and bread. That's about it…" Hisoka said.

They all looked to Tatsumi who frowned before sighing resignedly. "Fine, I'll make dinner. Make sure they don't go running off again. We could lose them in this place even easier than the ministry." They nodded as he rolled up his sleeves and walked to the kitchen.

"Having fun kids?" Tsuzuki asked with a smile.

"Sure, but where's your john?"

"Our what?"

"Your bathroom, man!" Hokuto said. "I need to use it. Bad."

"Ah! Right, come with me," he held out his hand.

"I'm not a little kid!" Hokuto growled. "I can go by myself."

"This house has _a lot_ of doors," Watari said. "Everyone has to go with another person or they would end up lost. Even us."

"Really?" both kids asked.

"Uh huh. So you need someone to guide you through the house. Like a bathroom buddy."

"That's weird…" Hokuto muttered. "But if it let's me take a leak faster, lead the way."

"Charming…" the scientist chuckled and led the smaller boy down the hall.

Hisoka sat down next to his mother on the couch, who looked like she was deep in thought. Or as deep in thought as a six year old can look. Tsuzuki sat down next to him, scooting close enough to be hip to hip with him. Neina looked between the two of them with a frown of even deeper contemplation before she spoke.

"So are you bathroom buddies?"

"Huh?" Hisoka asked.

"Well, it's just…you two always stay real close to one another. Is it in case one of you needs to go real bad?"

Hisoka flushed and Tsuzuki couldn't help but snicker a little. The naiveté of a child could be cute sometimes. "N-not exactly…" the blonde teen said.

"Then why do you always stay so close?" She frowned and tilted her head. "And what does 'so cute when he's flustered and blushing, I just want to glomp him' mean Tsuzuki-san?"

Tsuzuki froze as if being caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Hisoka turned a death glare to him from the corner of his eye. "Did Tsuzuki mention something like that?" he said as calmly as he could. _You're a dead man!! Saying something like that around a kid!!_

"No, he was feeling—" She gasped and clapped her hands over mouth.

Hisoka scowled a little, but not in the menacing way. There it was again, the sudden need to clam up when she brought up her powers. It was a little worrying…well, a little _more_ worrying given the fact she was now over a decade younger than she was this morning. _Tsuzuki…_

_I swear, I never said anything like that out loud! My shield must've cracked at some point and I didn't realize she'd still be empathic and—_

_Calm down…we'll talk about that later. Right now I want to talk with her alone for a second. Do you mind?_

_Promise you're not angry…?_

Hisoka smiled despite himself. _Promise._

"I think I'll go see how Tatsumi's doing with dinner," Tsuzuki said as nonchalantly as possible. "Maybe go see if Watari and Hokuto actually got lost. So much for the buddy system, huh?" He rose and walked out of the room. Sakuya had since recovered from her little slip but Hisoka knew that this meant it was probably dangerous ground to tread on.

"Sakuya?" Bright green eyes turned up to him curiously. "Why don't you want to talk about your powers?" It was blunt. He thought that would be the best way.

Her face froze for a second, appearing not to register what was said. Then she smiled. "Huh? What powers?"

He scowled again. "Sakuya, don't play dumb. I know you have empathic as well as magical powers."

"You're silly!" She laughed. "I don't have powers. I don't…" She looked down. "I'm normal…really, I promise I am!" He was surprised by the desperate way she said the word 'normal'. She looked almost frightened of dropping it, as if the word itself had some power and would break if she didn't hold onto it.

Reaching out, he gently set his hand on her head. She gasped as they're powers collided and looked up. He smiled as best he could and nodded. "Like I said, I know…I have empathy too." Her eyes widened to an extent he didn't know possible. "We all have special powers here, Sakuya. Tatsumi can control shadows, Watari can make drawings come to life, and Tsuzuki has 12 guardian spirits that he can summon. You're not alone."

Her mouth moved soundlessly for a moment before she shook her head. "N-no…I'm not special. I'm normal! I have to be! Mommy said…she said I'd put people in danger if I used my powers…I don't want to do that, so I have to let them go…I have to…"

"Does it hurt to do that?" he asked quietly.

Her eyes welled up and she nodded raggedly. "Y-yes! I don't want to! But I have to! I have to keep people safe! I have to be good and give them up!" She sobbed a little. He noticed Tatsumi and Tsuzuki near the kitchen entrance, looking worried. He shooed them away with a shake of his head.

"Sakuya, you don't have to give them up now…" She looked up and blinked. "Not yet. You won't put _us_ in danger." He rubbed the hand still on her head gently. "Hold on to them a little bit longer if it makes you feel better. None of us mind, really. We just want this stay to be as painless as possible for you."

She hiccupped before wiping her arm across her eyes. "I…I've never met anyone like me before…"

He smiled again. "Well…now you have." She looked up and smiled.

"Yeah! And I get to use my powers now…right?" He nodded and she giggled. "Oh, does this mean Hokuto-chan has powers too?" she asked suddenly.

"Hokuto…will have them, someday. But I don't know if he has them yet."

"Then how do you know? Can you see the future?!" She hopped up and looked him in the eyes suddenly. "That would be so cool! Can I do that?!"

He laughed, he couldn't help it. Half a minute ago she'd been crying her eyes out about having powers, now she was wondering if she could get new ones. _My mother…was quite a character, even in her youth._

-------------------------------------------

Dinner went well. The kids enjoyed Tatsumi's cooking thoroughly and Sakuya had giggled when he'd given her both a glass of juice and a glass of milk. Afterwards both small children yawned and stretched tiredly. Stating it had been a long day for them all, Watari suggested that they go to bed and go home. The smallest members of the party had protested feebly at first before they consented. They followed Tsuzuki to the restroom to get ready for bed. Tatsumi and Watari had been surprised however when Sakuya had raced back and hugged them both around the legs before running back.

Hisoka couldn't help but smile when they came back for a quick glass of water before bed. Hokuto was in light blue pj's with stars all over them (_**a/n**_: in case you didn't know, Hokuto means 'north star' in Japanese. Just thought you'd like to know ;) ). Neina—That is, Sakuya looked like a little angel in a white nightgown. When her water was gone she walked over to him groggily and reached up. He blinked and frowned.

_She wants you to carry her…_He jumped and looked over to see Tatsumi smiling as he put on his coat. Looking back down, he saw she was beginning to give up and go away alone. Quickly he stooped down and scooped her up. She seemed surprised at first then giggled and hugged him around the neck.

"Oyasumi-nasai Tastumi-san! Oyasumi-nasai Watari-san!" she called and snuggled further into Hisoka. He flushed but only shifted her in his arms a little as he started down the hall, the other shinigamis' answer following them. "Oyasumi-nasai Tsuzuki-san! Oyasumi Hokuto!"

"Oyasumi," Tsuzuki laughed. There was a strange mixture of energy and sleepiness in her as they walked to her designated room.

"Oyasumi Sakuya-chan. Have nice dreams," Hokuto said. Sakuya blushed and hid her face in the crook of her valet's neck.

"Thank you…" she said quietly. Hisoka smiled as he set her down on her bed. She looked around expectantly before frowning. "Where's Kotori?"

"Who?" he asked.

"Kotori! I can't sleep without my Kotori!" she shuffled through the sheets but came up empty and fretful. "Kotori!!"

"Uh…" _What the heck's a Kotori?! Some kind of stuffed animal or blanky or something? _"Kotori is…with you're parents."

"What?!" she sprang out of the sheets with an indignant look. "Why's he with them?! He knows I can't sleep without him!"

Hisoka winced and thought as fast as he could. "He thought…you're parents would have trouble sleeping where they went. He figured you'd want them to have good dreams about you and coming home so he went with them." _Oy…hopefully kids are gullible cause that was stupid even to my ears…_

She still looked put out but flopped down and pulled the covers up to her chin. "Well he should've told me first! Stupid Kotori! He'll be in for it when I see him again!"

He smiled and shook his head. "I'm sure he will…Are you okay?"

She pouted but retreated back further into the covers. "I guess…" She blinked as his hand petted across her hair again and looked up. Her gaze softened a little and she stretched out a little more. "Hisoka…?"

"Yes?"

"Would you…could you…be my brother?"

"What?" He stopped in his ministrations to make her feel more at peace to stare at her incredulously.

"It's just…I always wanted a brother…and I thought…since you're kind of like me…and we even look a like, a little bit…" she blushed and folded back inside herself. "Nevermind! It's silly!"

He blinked a little before patting her one more time. "Go to sleep, imooto (little sister)."

She looked up in surprise before grinning. "Right! Oyasumi, Hisoka-niisan!"

------------------------------------------------------------

Hisoka smiled as he stepped out of the bedroom. The smile grew more as he saw who was waiting for him. "How'd it go with you?" Tsuzuki asked.

"Good…I'm now my mother's big brother."

Tsuzuki almost slipped down the wall he was leaning on before laughing. "There's an American country song in there somewhere…"

Hisoka smirked as he walked forward. "So…I'm cute when I'm flustered and blushing eh? So much so that you want to glomp me?"

The elder man paled a little and gulped. "H-Hisoka, I swear I didn't mean for her to hear that thought! I—"

"Come 'ere!" Tsuzuki yelped as he was caught by the front of his shirt and brought in for a quick kiss. He blinked but smiled as he leaned in and shared the kiss properly. The parted with smiles on there faces. "I've been waiting to do that for over a month now…"

"Aa…me too…But maybe we should take this to the couch…After all, it's not our bed time yet, and we've got some catching up to do!"

Hisoka blushed but allowed himself to be led back to the living room. It seemed they all had some catching up to do, in one way or another.

------------------------------------------------------

Done for now…hopefully I'll get inspiration for the next book of the main story soon…though I am having a lot of fun with this XD

You know the drill. REVIEW and SUGGEST. Whether for this or the next book, really, I don't mind either way.


	13. Caught in the Act or Can't Hold it in

Right, I'm changing my update schedule thanks to my new class schedule. Updates shall now be every Friday afternoon to Saturday morning, depending on when I finish.

**laustic:** Yes, this will continue to get interesting, trust me. And the whole calling them out thing gets even better this round. It's gonna be fun XD

**jennamarie:** Wow, that's…a lot to look forward too. The evil game will come later during a chapter that shall be title 'Road Trip'…can you see where that's going to go?

**DessertQueen:** Oi, you changed it! XD Uh, the song is "You belong to me". I don't remember who wrote and there are several versions. Try looking it up somewhere it is very nice. Just ask _jennamarie_. ;)

**Hiyami:**I'll have to remember that suggestion for later…oh, and nice to know you liked the whole chappie! It's fluffy this round, but also a little awkward…just watch!

**ola**: The whole why Sakuya is afraid of her powers thing shall be explained later, but it's going to be very good therapy for Hisoka with all this gooey emotions running around!

---------------------------------------

(This chapter brought to through the wonderful suggestions of **jennamarie** and **laustic**!!)

"Okay…we need more milk and juice…some chicken…eggs and butter…" Hisoka continued reading off the list as the walked through the grocery store. It was Sunday and the apartment was in need of supplies yet again. Though Tsuzuki insisted that it would've been better to just leave the children at home with Tatsumi and Watari, he'd been unceremoniously shot down when an emergency summons had arrived for the two from the ministry. Thus both of them and both children were walking between the isles of the grocery store.

Tsuzuki sighed.

"Oh stop that, Tsuzuki! It's driving me crazy. This is not that bad. Remember that N…that my parents had to deal with _four_ children at once. We have the luxury of just two."

Tsuzuki grumbled something close to a yes. Truth be told he would take any excuse to spend time with Hisoka. And the kids weren't that bad. You just had to watch them like a hawk or risk paying for something when it broke.

The shinigami paused when he felt a tug on his pants leg. Looking down he met a green worried gaze. "Yes? What's wrong, Sakuya?" He knelt down to her level as she leaned in to whisper to him.

"I need to go potty."

He paused and blinked. "Excuse me?"

"I need to go!"

"You can't do that by yourself yet?" he asked hopefully.

She blushed and glared at him, not very threatening on a six year old girl. "I can _go_ by myself, but I can't go by myself. I need a buddy."

"She's right Tsuzuki," Hisoka said. "You can't expect a six year old to go to the bathroom by herself in a crowded supermarket. Especially one as cute as her, someone might try to put her in their cart!" He shuddered when he remembered the gaggle of women that had clustered around him that time before. It was the stuff of nightmares.

Tsuzuki frowned and shifted uncomfortably. "Well…can you hold it?"

Sakuya looked thoughtful for a second before shaking her head. "Nope. I need to go. Bad!"

"How bad?"

"Bad bad."

"And you can't hold it for a little while?"

"Tsuzuki, just take her!" Hisoka snapped, although on the inside he was laughing at how squeamish he was at taking a little girl to the rest room. "Unless you want her to wet herself right here."

Tsuzuki quickly scooped her up and began a brisk walk towards the restroom. "Why didn't you go before we left?" he asked.

"I didn't need to go then!" she said obviously. "Hurry! I really need to go!"

Tsuzuki sped up a little bit while she kept chanting 'hurry'. The chant seemed to get faster the closer they actually got to the restroom. He paused outside the doors.

"Urm…which one?"

"The one with the dress!"

"I was afraid of that…" He pushed the door open with his shoulder, ignoring the indignant cries of the women a the sink, and set her down on the floor. "There! I'll be outside." He quickly bolted back out the door and sighed. _Thank heaven for little girls, hm?_

Tsuzuki waited outside the door, trying to look as nonchalant as possible though a few people gave him odd looks as they passed. Woman going into the lavatory especially looked at him odd but he did his best to just stare at one spot on the wall in front of him and ignore it.

After five minutes he began to wonder what the hold up was. He had a feeling he would regret this but leaned over and opened the door enough that his voice could travel in. "Sakuya-chan? Is everything okay?"

"Gah! Pervert!"

"Wah! No, you have it all wrong! I'm just the bathroom buddy!"

"I'll buddy you!"

"Tsuzuki!!" The woman paused after hitting him twice with her purse. "Tsuzuki-ojisan! (uncle Tsuzuki) I can't reach the sink."

Tsuzuki quickly ducked past the large behemoth of woman to hoist the little girl up high enough she could reach the sink and soap. She dried her hands with one of the paper towels provided and he quickly bolted past a rather embarrassed looking woman back out into the store.

"Thank you, Tsuzuki-ojisan."

"Not a problem," he sighed. He had to admit though, he sort of liked his new title.

"Tsuzuki?"

"Yeah?"

"What's a 'pervert'?"

"What…uh, its…ask your brother."

He set her down and took her hand to walk normally. When they found Hisoka their cart was already half filled. The boy looked up and smiled when they walked up. "Everything good now?"

"Yes," he smiled.

"Tsuzuki-ojisan's a pervert!"

There was a small pause where Hisoka's eyebrow ticked lightly. Tsuzuki laughed and rubbed the back of his head where the purse had hit him. "Uh…ladies room gossip, evidently…Rather butch woman with a large purse thought I was peeking."

Hisoka coughed and turned his head away. It took Tsuzuki a moment to realize he was laughing. He smiled a little wanly when he realized what was making him laugh though.

"It's not funny!"

"You…a peeping tom…that's pretty funny."

"So…a pervert is a peeping tom?" Sakuya asked.

"Er…yes, sometimes."

"Oh…what's a peeping tom?"

There was another pause before Hisoka patted her head. "I'll tell you later." _Like maybe never._

"Tsuzuki-san?" Tsuzuki looked down to see Hokuto standing in front of him. "I need to go now too."

The purple-eyed shinigami almost fell over. "Why didn't you say so before?!"

"I didn't think I had to then, duh."

Tsuzuki sighed and looked at Hisoka imploringly. "Don't look at me like that. I'm shopping. Hop to it 'bathroom buddy'-san."

He glared lightly at him. _You have an odd sadistic streak in you some days, you know that?_

Hisoka smirked. _I know. Keeps you on your toes._

Tsuzuki sighed and took Hokuto's hand to lead him back to the other side of the store.

------------------------------------------

Tsuzuki sighed and flopped down on the couch. Tatsumi and Watari were do back for their turn with the kids soon though dinner had passed and they were already sent off to bed. It was a relief to have a moment alone. Though not completely alone…

"Was it that tiring?" Hisoka asked. He nudged his boyfriend's legs to move and sat down next to him on the couch.

"Yes it was. I think their bladders shrank more than the rest of them!"

Hisoka chuckled and moved to lie down lengthwise to him. "Their kids now. Be thankful they didn't shrink to toddlers or babies. Then you'd be having issues with diapers."

Tsuzuki shuddered and pouted at him. "I don't see why you couldn't have been 'bathroom buddy'-san a couple of times. They're your parents."

"Yes, but I was shopping. And I wanted to make sure we spent the money Tatsumi gave us on something other than ice-cream and snack cakes."

"Meany."

Hisoka arched his eyebrows at him. "I'm sorry, did you just call me a 'meany'?"

"Yes. You're mean, my Hisoka."

Hisoka laughed and buried his head in the crook of Tsuzuki's neck. "You've been hanging around those kids too long if you've resorted to 'meany'."

"Hey!"

He pulled his head up and gently set his lips on his. It was chaste but electrifying thanks to his empathy. He'd covertly turned the dampener off minutes before. He pulled back just enough too look him in the eyes. "Am I still a meany?"

Tsuzuki smiled and wrapped his arms around his back. "Not sure…I think I need a little more convincing." The next kiss was much deeper and richer. Hisoka's lips were soft and irresistible as they worked against his. He sat up a little, still clutching him close as he maneuvered him to straddle his thighs.

"A-hem!!" They jolted at the dry cough and looked up to see Watari and Tatsumi standing in front of the couch. Tatsumi was looking a little disapproving while Watari looked like he was trying to keep from laughing.

"Hate to interrupt but we're here to take over…" he said.

Hisoka flushed and looked away, only to blanch when he saw who else was watching them. "What're you two still doing up?!"

Sakuya, who'd had her hands over her eyes, was standing next to a gob smacked Hokuto in the hallway that directly faced their couch. Neina pulled her hands away to look blushingly at them. "I…I heard the door open and Tatsumi-san and Watari-san come in so I thought I'd say goodnight to them and…Why were you kissing Tsuzuki-ojisan, oniisan?"

Hisoka's face turned even reader than before. "W-well, you see…uh…"

"I know!" Hokuto, evidently having recovered from the shock said triumphantly. "It must be because they're homo-sex-tools!"

Hisoka promptly fell off the couch in near-death embarrassment while the elder men all looked at the young boy with mixtures of amusement, worry, and that '_dear lord, where did he learn that phrase I know it wasn't from me_' stare.

"Right?" Hokuto asked. "That's what you call a man that loves another man, isn't it?"

"Men can love other men?!" Sakuya asked in shock. Evidently she thought this was the most amazing discovery in the history of human kind.

"Yes," Tatsumi said as calmly as he could. "But the term is 'homosexual', Hokuto."

"Yeah. Homo sex tools are something entirely different," Watari grinned.

"Watari!"

"So…Tsuzuki and Hisoka-niisan are in love?" Sakuya asked. She swiveled her head under and around in order to look her 'big brother' in the face. He was still rather red but he managed to look her in the eyes. Briefly he looked at Tsuzuki before he nodded. "Y-yes."

Tsuzuki blushed but smiled.

Sakuya giggled and began jumping up and down in joy. "Yay! Niisan's in love!! That's great!!" He blinked as she began dancing childishly, singing 'niisan's in love' happily. He couldn't help but smile when she grinned at him again.

"That's okay, I guess." Hokuto said, putting his hands behind his head. "Weird, but okay."

"It's not weird," Sakuya said. "Love is great! It makes everything better and everyone happier." She paused before looking at the two shinigami still standing. "Does this mean you two are in love?"

Tatsumi and Watari both flushed at the question. The secretary was the first to recover, turning away in embarrassment as he spoke. "No. We're just very good friends." Watari paused but nodded in agreement.

"Oh…That's too bad. I thought you could get married too with niisan and Tsuzuki."

"Married?!" they all asked.

Sakuya looked the most confused out of all of them. "That's what people do when there in love, isn't it? They get married." She paused before turning to Hokuto. "Can two men get married?"

He shrugged. "No idea. My dad just said something about homo-sex-tools living near our temple."

"Homosexuals," Tatsumi corrected once again.

"Sakuya…marriage come later in a relationship. And that's only if both people even want to get married. And men…can't really get married right now, to other men that is."

"Oh…that's stupid! If it's love they should be allowed to get married!"

"Yes, well, I think this debate is better left for another time, perhaps when it's not time for bed?" Watari said. Frankly he agreed, but it was getting rather late and both he and Tatsumi were tired.

"Agreed," Tatsumi summoned up a shadow which hoisted a giggling Neina up into his arms. "Little hopeless romantics need to go to bed now."

"Awhhhh…But I wanted to ask another question."

"What?" He asked as the began marching back down the hall.

"Can homo…homosetuals have babies?"

Both paused for a split second, exchanging glances between blue and gold. "No…you need a woman for that."

"Why?" Hokuto asked. "Does the stork only deliver to women?"

"Stork? I thought you had to plant a cabbage to get a baby."

"What does a cabbage have to do with babies? I don't even like cabbage!"

"Niether do I but that's what my dad said when I asked. Hey Watari-san, where—"

"I'll answer all you're questions later! It's bed time now!"

Hisoka listened to the last strains of the exchange as he tried to recover from that experience. "You okay?" He looked up to see Tsuzuki leaning worriedly over him from the couch. He nodded. "That was…informative, huh?" Hisoka looked at him with the 'you can't possibly expect an actual answer to that' look. "Uh, yeah…"

"We should probably get going. We're working at the ministry tomorrow after all."

"Oh, right!" He stood and helped the smaller male up off the floor. He pulled on his coat and handed him his jacket and they were out the door into the night. It was crisp and clear then, with the tang of life that always accompanies spring.

"Sorry about that…" Hisoka said quietly.

Tsuzuki smiled and wrapped his arm around the youth's shoulders to hold him closer. "It's okay. But boy, you're dad…"

"Yeah…" Hisoka blushed at the thought and shook his head. "I'm beginning to wonder if he's ever, in his life, heard of tact."

Tsuzuki chuckled. "You're mom too. Look's like she was always a hopeless romantic."

"Yeah…" He looked up and bit his lip before asking something that had occurred to him. "Doesn't it ever bother you?"

"What?"

"That…that I'm not a girl. That if we go out in public like this people stare and…"

Tsuzuki stopped and turned to stand in front of him. He smile and leaned down to rest their heads together. "Does it bother you?"

"No! Well…sometimes…just when I can feel what they think."

"Hmm…that would make it harder. But you know what? It's entirely worth it for me. They can think whatever they want because the only thing I care about is what you—" he placed his hand over Hisoka's heart, "—Hisoka Kurosaki think of me. And tonight you told you little girl that will one day be your mother you love me. Well not so much tell as just nod in answer to a question, but I say it counts!"

Hisoka chuckled and tilted his head up to catch the other's lips. "It counts…believe me."

-----------------------------------------

Yes, I know I need to get them to say it!! It will happen soon in the main story, promise.

REVIEW and SUGGEST


	14. Connecting the Dolts

Took me a while to fin inspiration for this one, but I think it may be one of my favorite chapters. EVER. Hope you like it!

**laustic: **Yay!! I always like your suggestions and it made such a wonderful scene XD So thank you for the wonderful suggestion and review

**ola:** Hmm...truthfully, I'm not sure if they'll remember yet either…not likely, although it would be interesting. Even more sweetness this chapter!!

**jennamarie:** Well, Tsuzuki has all that sugar energy to burn off and I think Hisoka just knows how to ration his. It's probably some secret empath technique mere humans like us wouldn't understand --'' And I love that line!! I'm trying to figure out if there's any way for me to bring it back again. Glad to know you hadn't lost your computer as long as I expected :D recovers from glomp Oy, never getting used to that . Roadtrip, eh? (evil grin) Hmm…

**Hiyami:** Everyone's got a perverted streak somewhere in them. Mine happens to be large and runs very close to the surface sometimes. XD Hokuto's a kid now so he has even less tact than before!! That is actually my favorite line because I can just imagine him saying it…or maybe that's me. We look a little a like I'm told. I'm thinking of having a sort of 'birds and the bees' chapter at some point. And just to defend him, Hokuto's dad did actually say 'homosexuals'. Hokuto just didn't hear it right, but who really gives a damn when you get results like that?!

**DesertQueen**: I understand, it's getting hard for me to find time to write T-T The pain of it!! Thank you for saying the stories are good though, makes me feel a little better about not just trying to turn chapters out and actually putting some thought into them.

**Mayra Silva:** Woot, new reviewer!! Howdy!! Glad you like it so much, sorry for the wait. Glad you liked that part, twas my favorite to write XD

-------------------------------------------

Sakuya yawned and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. Hopping over the side of the bed she trudged down the hall to the restroom in the morning light leaking through various windows. After that was done the little girl slowly walked to the kitchen to see about breakfast.

She paused outside the door when she heard voices speaking loudly—practically yelling really—on the other side of the kitchen door.

"NO!!! Tsuzuki, I told you to stop that!!"

"But Hisoka, the kids are still asleep!! And I like holding you!!"

"Can't you just freaking wait?!!"

"Nope!!"

Sakuya jumped at the sound of something hard connecting to something harder. Tentatively opening the door, she stuck her head in and gulped at what she saw. Her nii-san was holding a frying pan and Tsuzuki was holding his head. She may have been six but she'd seen enough cartoons to know what happened. The purple eyed guardian was just lucky nothing had been cooking at the time.

"Why can't you just listen to what I say for once?!!" Hisoka yelled. Setting the pan aside with a clang he went through the door on the other side with his back rigid and his fists clenched. An obvious sign she had learned that he was not happy.

Feeling it was safe enough she scooted into the room and walked over to a still prone Tsuzuki. "Ji-san? Are you okay?"

He turned his face towards her and grinned ruefully. "Ah, yeah. Just a bit of a headache."

"…Getting hit with a frying pan would probably do that to you."

He winced. "Ah, you saw that huh?" She nodded. "Oh. Well, it's okay really. He didn't hit me nearly as hard as he could have. It was just a tap really."

Green eyes blinked owlishly at him before she turned her head contemplatively. "Why was Hisoka-niisan angry?"

Tsuzuki blushed slightly and looked at his hands folded on the table. "Ah, well…I wanted to hold him."

"Oh…You can hold me if you like, I won't mind."

He smiled and ruffled her hair. "Thank you, Sakuya-chan, but its not the same. Holding Hisoka is…well, it's special to me. It means I've at least connected with him somehow, that he can know what I feel for him without words because I know he can _feel_ it.

"A connection?"

"Yes. Humans need connections, even if they don't want to admit it. They need at least one other person in their life to be there with them and to feel as if they are not alone. I know he deserves to feel that more than anyone."

She frowned and thought for a few moments. "Then…why doesn't he like it?"

Tsuzuki's contemplative smile diminished a little. "Hisoka…has trouble finding connections. I think he might be afraid of it. And in truth he really doesn't know how. When he was younger every possible connection he could make was severed. And then the first time in forever someone took him in his arms…" His fingers tightened around his hands and Sakuya backed away with the sudden fountain of rage that seemed to spring from him. He quickly reigned in his emotions when he realized he was once again projecting. Hisoka having his dampener on so often was slowing his reaction time.

"Let's just say I can understand better than most people why he can't connect. And I don't begrudge him that. I might push a little, but in truth I'm willing to wait patiently until he can accept the bond I want to form with him. I'm going to wait because I know it will be more than worth it to be able to connect with him fully. Now then, how about some breakfast? Hokuto-chan should be down soon."

He rose and began gathering things (even he couldn't screw up cereal so long as you kept an eye on him). Sakuya followed him with her eyes, the tiniest frown on her face. _But how long will you have to wait?_

---------------------------------------------------

"I don't think it's really any of our business," Hokuto said. "He leaned his back against the tree.

Sakuya pouted and began pulling at the grass. "But don't you think its sad? Hisoka's scared and Tsuzuki has to wait just to get a hug."

"Hey, if Hisoka wants to be jerk and leave him hanging, that's his problem. And if Tsuzuki's willing to wait I don't see what the problem is in the first place. There just being dolts."

"Dolts?"

"Yeah, idiots. Bakas. Nincompoops." He grinned when she giggled at the funny word. He liked it when she laughed. "I never really thought about that whole connection thing though. I guess it's true, maybe. It's sort of like that red pinky string thing."

"Huh?"

"The red pinky string. My mom told me about it." He held up his pinky. "She said that if two people are fated to be together then their left pinkies are connected by a long invisible red string. Though if it's invisible I still have no clue how they know what color it is. Anyway, if you follow the string you find who you're meant to be with."

Sakuya blinked before standing up with a smile. "That's it!! We just have show them their connected by the red pinky string and then nii-chan won't be so scared!!"

Hokuto gave her a flat look. "Uh, hate to break it to you Sakuya, but 'invisible' means you can't see it."

She glared at him. "I know what it means!! We'll just…have to improvise. There's some red yarn in the craft box in the living room, we can use that."

"Okay, great. Just one thing. How do you know their connected by a string anyway?"

"Eh?"

Hokuto sighed and put his hands on his knees to give her a serious look. "How do you know their 'meant to be'? What if they aren't?"

She relaxed her determined stance a little at the prospect. "W-well…because…they're together and…they kissed…"

"My friend Yukihiro's sister goes out with different guys all the time. She's always 'together' with them and they kiss a lot. But she has a new one like every week. I doubts she has that many strings around her finger."

She deflated further with the prospect that maybe her nii-san wasn't meant to be with Tsuzuki. "B-but…they…" She shook her head and suddenly began yelling at a surprised Hokuto. "No! They are meant to be!! And even if they aren't, they have feelings for each other!! Really strong ones!!"

He blinked. "How do you know? We've only known their together for a couple of days."

Sakuya's body tensed once again, this time in dread. She'd said to much. "I…I just know."

His frown grew and he rose to his feet to approach her. "You've said that before. How can you just know?" Sakuya backed up and he took another step forward. Then she turned and tried to bolt through the garden back to the house. He caught her in a few steps and used his slight height advantage by grabbing her around the waist and hoisting with a grunt. They weren't honestly that far apart in height or weight so it was difficult but he managed to hold her.

"Let go!! Let go, let go, let go!!"

"Not until you tell me!!"

"No!!"

"Why not?!"

"Because!!"

"Because why?!"

"Because I don't want you to stop be my friend!!" He blinked when she stopped her fighting and slumped. Her body was still trembling though. He blanched when he heard a sniffle and quickly let go.

"H-hey!! Stop that!! I-I didn't want to make you cry!! I just…" …_wanted to know more about you._

She sniffed and wiped her face with her sleeve. "S-s'okay."

He shifted from foot to foot worriedly as she stopped crying before he ventured again. "What did you mean? Why wouldn't I be you're friend if you told me?"

She sniffed again and looked up. "I…I tried to tell my best friend Yukari about it, but she stopped being my friend afterwards. She-she said I was a f-f-freak," she sobbed and brought her hands up to her eyes again. "I…I can tell what people are feeling. My mommy says it's a power I'll always have b-but I started learning n-new things too. I showed Yukari how I could make water colder or hotter a-and she tried it too…but she couldn't do it!! I told her how I did it but it wouldn't work and then she said I was either a liar or a freak and r-ran away. She won't talk to me any more! I told mommy but she-she got angry at _me_! She said I was never supposed to use my powers again because they were bad and I would end up hearting people if I did, including her and daddy. But Yukari told everyone else so now n-no one will p-p-play with me!! Except you!! So please, please don't stop being my friend!!"

Hokuto tried to follow most of that and actually managed quite will. He flushed as she kept crying and stood there watching, not knowing what to do. Finally he gulped and reached out to pat her arm gently. She looked up in surprise and he did his best to smile reassuringly. "Don't worry. I live in a temple, remember? I'm used to weird things happening. And hey, remember my friend Yukihiro I mentioned? Well he's a Cyclops!" She gasped again and looked at him in disbelief. "Yep. You see, our temple's out in the woods so not a lot of people live there. But there's this big spirit village nearby so I just go play with the kids there. There all a lot of fun and their way weirder than you could ever be. In fact, I bet you'd fit right in!! They'd probably really like you!!"

She sniffed and wiped the last of her tears away. "R-really?"

"Uh huh!" he grinned.

She smiled the prettiest smile she could full of relief and happiness. It seemed to make her tear stained face light up with sweetness. "I'd like that!"

He felt his stomach flip flop at that smile and heat bubble up to his face. "Um, yeah…Uh, I'll help you with those two dolts too if you want." He really had no idea what he was saying anymore. He just wanted to know if he could make her smile like that again.

The smile grew and the heat in his face seemed to double. "You will?! Thank you Hokuto!" She gave him a hug which he awkwardly returned.

_Man, she's cute!!_

--------------------------------------------------------------

Tsuzuki paused in reading the newspaper when he heard small footsteps coming up next to him. Putting it down, he smiled when Hokuto came into his view with his hands behind his back. "Hey there, Hokuto-chan. Is there something I can do for you?"

He twitched a little at being called 'chan' but managed to stay focused on what he was doing. He held out his finger with his pinky extended. "Could you hold out your hand like this, Tsuzuki-san? The left one please."

He blinked but did so without question. He didn't have time to react as he felt something loop around his finger and being tied off. Hokuto stood back then turned and ran out the doorway again. "Just follow it!!" he yelled after him.

Startled, he looked down to see a piece of red yarn tied around his pinky. "What the…?" Fallowing the yarn with his eyes he saw that it led back out the doorway and around the corner through the hall. Rising, he began to follow the peculiar trail.

------------------------------------------------

Neina frowned in frustration as she peeked over the edge of the table Hisoka was sitting at reading a book with his chair facing out and his arm propped up on the table. _Left…left…which one's left?! Okay, if he's right handed then…_ She watched as he turned the page and moved the hand on the table up to take a sip of his drink. _That one!!_ Scuttling forward under the table, she held her breath as his hand came back down to drape over the edge. Reaching out she quickly slid one end around the smallest digit. For once she was grateful for how wrapped up he could be in his books. Often she felt frustrated when she had to compete with the paper objects for attention but now she silently thanked whatever he was reading for the distraction. Tying it off quickly she scuttled back out and through the door quickly.

Hokuto was waiting for her and she grinned and gave a big thumbs up. "Mission accomplished!!" she whispered.

He nodded. "Me too. We'd better move before he gets here though." She followed him around the corner quickly and they both peaked out to see what was going to happen.

Tsuzuki came up the hall a few moments later, following the red trail with a perplexed frown. He was gathering one end of the yarn in over one hand as he followed it. He followed it right up to the doorway before turning his head up with a surprised look to see where it led.

Hisoka looked up when he noticed his form in the doorway. "Tsuzuki? What is…it?" His eyes caught sight of the bundle of bright red thread in his head, one end connected to his pinky. He followed the windy path of woven fibers and brought his hand up to contemplate his own knotted end in open mouthed surprise. "When did that happen?"

Tsuzuki chuckled and dropped the winding of yarn to the floor to move forward. "I believe we have a couple of pint-sized matchmakers to blame. With one little blonde mastermind at the center. I suppose I should've expected it after this morning."

"This morning?" He reached over to pick at the string, frowning when he found it to be knotted tight.

"Uh, yeah…Sakuya kind of saw you hit me with the frying pan," he said ruefully.

"What?!" He forgot the knot to look up at him. What kind of example had he set for her?!

"Mm-hm. She was a little worried about us. She might've thought we were going to break up or something."

Panic rose immediately in Hisoka and he made to rise. "Tsuzuki, you know I don't want that!! I just lost my temper and reacted without think, I don't—"

The taller man placed his hands on his boyfriend's shoulders and gently pushed him back into his seat. "Shhh, shhh. I know, don't worry. I explained it to her."

The blonde boy frowned. "You explained what to her?"

He smiled and kept his hands at those small, almost delicate shoulders, rubbing tenderly. "I just explained that you…have trouble connecting to people. That it will take time for you to completely open yourself up to me and be comfortable with everything I want to do with you. I understand that so I tried to make her understand that I'm willing to wait until your ready. And I am." He bent down to glide his cheek against his, smiling even as he tensed. "I'll wait for you. I've got an eternity to wait for you. But, uh, don't make me wait that long okay?" He smiled as Hisoka's shoulders relaxed and he hesitantly leaned his cheek into the contact.

"How do you do that?"

"Hmm?"

"How is it you know me so well, even better than I know me? I didn't even know I felt that way, I thought I was just being…my violent self."

"You aren't violent." He pulled back and met his green gaze with purple with a quirk of the eyebrow. "Okay, you're a _teensy_ bit violent. But I like it. Keeps me focused."

"Masochist…"

"Love is the sweetest kind of pain." Watari had actually said that once, but he didn't feel that was a relevant detail at this moment.

"…Poetic masochist." He chuckled and pecked him on the forehead. Before he could move down, as was his plan, Hisoka turned his gaze inquisitively to the red ring around his finger. "I don't get this though. What does red yarn have to do with this?"

"I think it's supposed to be thread actually."

"Okay, thread then. Still don't get it."

Tsuzuki smiled and straightened to the other's disappointment. "Oh? You don't know the old myth?"

"What old myth?" He repressed the shiver that ran through his body as the elder man's larger hand traveled up his shoulder to his neck to stroke it sweetly. It continued to do so as he moved around to stand behind his chair.

"There's an old myth about being connected to you're perfect mate by a red string tied to your left pinky fingers. In short," he leaned down and an even greater shiver ran through him as his hot breath ghosted over his ear and his hand moved down to clasp his own. "You're mother thinks we're soulmates," he whispered.

He took a deep breath and tried to focus his mind enough to form a coherent thought. "A…and what do you think about that?"

There was a pause before Tsuzuki bend down to be in his line of vision and brought his hand to his mouth to skim his lips over the knuckles. Hisoka's face nearly exploded in red and he sucked in a breath when darkened purple eyes turned to capture him. "I don't need a string to tell me what I feel for you."

The younger shinigami felt his heart speed up at the words and closed his eyes against the wonderful warmth that enveloped him. Gripping his hand he brought it forward and splayed his fingers against his chest so he could feel the steady beat thrumming beneath his chest…for him. He felt Tsuzuki surprise and then a nearly overwhelming feeling that he pulled at to try and envelope in his own. They were connecting on a level most people strove there whole lives to achieve and while it was only for a few seconds Tsuzuki felt like they were they greatest gift he could ever have.

"Thank you," he whispered thickly. Hisoka just smiled. Then he chuckled.

"It seems the 'mastermind' neglected one little fact."

Tsuzuki blinked and returned the smile. "Oh?"

He lifted up his caught hand with a smile. "She can't tell left from right."

-------------------------------------------------------

"Oyasumi-nesai, nii-chan!! Oyasumi-nasai Tsuzuki-jisan!"

The shinigami pair smiled as Sakuya continued waving at them from the gate. After managing to get the string off their fingers, they'd tracked down their little matchmakers and proceeded to 'thank' them for their well meant meddling by chasing them through the house and the garden. All in good fun of course. It ended when Tatsumi and Watari came back from work to have dinner and take over as sitters. Hisoka had made sure to put the yarn away for their sakes. Everything had it's due course after all and he didn't want to rush a relationship as precarious as theirs. Even if he did agree with Neina's observation that Tatsumi was a dolt for not seeing how Watari felt.

Tsuzuki smiled and reached out to take the other's hand in his. Hisoka gripped back with a squeeze and smiled. Sakuya smiled too, then blunked when she caught something glinting in the light of the sunset. It looked almost like the thinnest sheen of thread running from Hisoka's clasped left and to Tsuzuki's swinging left. It was gone in a millisecond but she knew what she saw. Grinning, she nearly danced into the apartment, sparing Hokuto one great 'I told you so' smile that he will never understand.

-----------------------------------------

Aaaaand done!! Hah, wrote this whole thing in only three hours!!

…it just took me two days to upload it. (smacks head)

Anyway, REVIEW AND SUGGEST. I'm going to see if I get some inspirations for this one and _Family_ in the mean time. Ja ne!!


	15. Lost and Found

I know what you're thinking: Finally, an update :D Yes it took a while, but it's finally here!

**Trans:** I live for reviews like this, thank you! No real sexual tension this round, just a lot fun.

**laustic:** Thanks, I really like this legend too XD I always liked your fic 'Red Ties' for all the imagery.

**ola:** I'm sorry I couldn't update sooner, really I am T-T I get no rest even during winter break it seems. But I'm glad you look forward to the chapters and you like them so much. Makes me feel all warm wall its so cold here.

**Hiyami:** Yep, she is truly hopless :3 Solidify yourself to read this one! Although there is a tiny bit of fluff here and there, it's not much so it should be safe to read.

**jennamarie:** That's a good question…(holds up the frying pan) Well, there is a sizable dent in it now. I'm glad you liked it so much XD Honestly, I don't yet know how much they'll remember. I don't plan that far ahead. Its why I have trouble updating ; More fluffiness here, btwn Tatsumi and Watari and the chibis

Oh, two things:

IMPORTANT GUEST STARS THIS CHAPTER. If you don't know who they are, it's okay. I just felt like putting them in. Read to find out who.

Also, mild TaTari this chapter. Very mild. This happens before the end of Like the Rain so they haven't yet faced their feelings. Sad, I know, but at least I'm consistant.

------------------------------------------

_Watari and Sakuya appear to be getting along quite well,_ Tatsumi thought.

Watari smiled as Sakuya giggled and reached for the tree branches bowing above their head. "Don't fall, Sakuya-chan." They were walking along the park path with Tatsumi and Hokuto by their side. Sakuya had shrieked with laughter when he'd scooped her up and put her on his shoulders. Tatsumi smiled at the two of them and shifted his grip on the basket in his hands.

He looked down at Hokuto when the boy tugged at his sleeve. "Can we eat soon? I'm getting hungry."

He patted the boy's head and nodded. "Yes, there's a spot up ahead that should be alright." Thankfully it wasn't too crowded that day so finding an adequate spot on the grassy knoll next to the path was easy. Watari flipped a giggling Sakuya in the air as he set her down on the blanket Tatsumi spread out.

"That was fun, Watari-jiisan! Can we do it again?"

The scientists smiled as he sat. "After lunch maybe. I'm with Hokuto right now though, I'm starving!" He reached into the basket and pulled out one of the sandwiches Tatsumi had packed and accepted the cup of tea from the thermos when offered. Hokuto and Sakuya dug into their own food in the same fashion as a pack of piranha.

When they were all done they laid out across the blanket to rest. Tatsumi had only agreed to lay down as per Watari and Sakuya's adamant requests.

"This is nice," Watari said.

"Hmm…yes, it is quite nice."

"You sound so convinced."

Tatsumi glanced at him from the corner of his eye. The afternoon sun shined down on the fair skinned scientist and lit his hair into a shine of red gold. His eyes were closed but he found that if he thought about it he could see their color clearly in his mind's eye. He blinked in surprise at the almost ethereal way he smiled in the sunlight. "It is…very nice."

Watari didn't open his eyes. Instead, from his even breathing and soft snoring, Tatsumi could tell he'd fallen asleep. Sakuya, who was curled up at the blonde's side, had followed suit. He smiled then started when there was a push at his shoulder.

"Tatsumi-san, I need to go to the restroom. Do you know where it is?"

"I'm not sure. I'll come with you though, these two are taking a nap."

Hokuto nodded and they set off back down the path to try and find a restroom. A few minutes later Sakuya opened her eyes with a sleepy yawn. She rubbed her eyes then blinked and looked out into the bushes. _Hmmm…wonder what's over there._ pushing herself up she walked over to the bushes and peeked over them. She could see through the trees a little clearing with bushes of flowers growing sporadically through it. _Pretty!_ She smiled and pushed her way through.

Watari sighed and stretched. _That was a nice nap…Maybe we should play a little game now though, the kids must be bored._ Turning over, he frowned when he found that there was no one else on the blanket. _What the…!?_ Jumping to his feet he looked around wildly. _Did they leave without me?!_ Grumbling under his breath the scientist descended the hill and began looking around.

Tatsumi and Hokuto meanwhile were on their way back from the restrooms. Tatsumi had waited outside the restroom without checking and so didn't run into the problems Tsuzuki once had when being 'bathroom buddy'. But walking back had proved to be more troublesome.

It started when a woman dropped her phone from her bag. Hokuto had picked it up and run after her. "Excuse, but you dropped this."

"Oh my, thank you very much. What a nice and handsome boy," the woman said and patted the top of Hokuto's head. Hoktuo grinned at the attention cheekily. "Is he yours?" She turned to Tatsumi and batted her eyes innocently.

"Erm, no. I'm just watching him for the day."

"That's very kind of you. Most men wouldn't babysit children that weren't theirs."

"Well, I'm not—"

"I am not a baby," Hokuto groused.

"Oh, I didn't mean it like that!" the woman laughed. "Of course you're not a baby, I can see that quite well." He smiled as she ruffled his hair again. Evidently even as a child Hokuto was quite good and garnering attention from the opposite sex. "He really is quite darling. And you're not so bad yourself," she smiled as she turned her attention back to Tatsumi. "I'm not used to meeting such nice men around her. Maybe you two could be nice enough to show me around?"

"Er, well I, that is we were—"

"Oh please, I'm new here and I don't know where anything is." She set a hand on his arm imploringly.

"I say we help her," Hokuto grinned.

"But we should really get back to Watari and Sakuya."

"Who?"

"That would be me," Watari said severely from behind her. He'd seen her from up the path and couldn't help but glare at her for being so forward. Some women really couldn't take a hint evidently. The woman seemed surprise as he stepped around her and stood before Tatsumi. He gave her one last look that clearly said _Back off lady, you're out of your league_ before turning to the secretary and the boy. "Am I interrupting something?" he asked lowly.

Tatsumi shook his head minutely, confused by the normally bouncy scientist's sudden demeanor change. Hokuto, having noticed as well, wisely kept his mouth shut. "No, we were just heading back to you."

"Well next time wake me up! I nearly had a heart attack when I woke up and you all weren't there."

"I'm sorry I didn't want to disturb you then. You looked quite peaceful." _Even pretty…in a way._

The woman, sensing there was something brewing between the two men even if they didn't realize it yet (women know these things after all) and quickly left to seek out a new target. They didn't notice.

"Whatever. But really, if you're taking the kids somewhere, I'd like to know first." He looked down and ticked an eyebrow when only Hokuto looked back up. "Where's Sakuya?"

Tatsumi frowned. "She was sleeping next to you last time I saw her."

"No, she was gone when I woke up…" he trailed off as all three male's eyes widened. "Oh no…"

-----------------------------------------------

Sakuya wasn't worried at all. She sat in the middle of the clearing practicing a new trick she had learned. She found that if she focused on one clump of flowers she could make new blossoms spring up if she tried. She enjoyed this new power immensely, making the plants grow and shrink. She had noticed a small park on the other side of the clearing but paid it no attention as she continued to practice.

"Excuse me, but are you lost?" She looked up in surprise to see a high school boy kneeling down before her. He had a roundish, pleasant face, dark eyes and glasses.

"I'm not lost. I…" she blinked again and tilted to the side slightly. "There's a monster behind you."

The boys face faulted and for a moment seemed resolute to not look behind him. But then he peeked back to see the rather large cloud with eyes and fangs bearing down on both of them. The boy immediately grabbed her up and began running just as the monster lunged. "Why is it always me?!!" he yelled quite loudly.

"It's following us," Sakuya said. She could feel the rapid escalation of panic in him as he ran but also hope stealing itself into his heart.

There was a snapping sound and the monster suddenly dispersed like water vapor. The boy turned back around slightly and Sakuya kept her eyes on the new comer. He was another high school boy, taller and broader than the other with narrower eyes. In his hand was an empty bow. An immense amount of both relief and annoyance washed through the boy, and by contact Sakuya until he set her down. The taller student walked over with a cocky grin.

"You're welcome," he said.

The other bunched his body up like a cat and glared at him. "I don't remember asking for your help!!"

"You never do. Doesn't mean you don't need it. Who's your friend?"

Sakuya smiled and waved. "Hi! Thanks for getting that monster."

"You can see her?" the smaller boy asked in confusion.

"Yeah. Why, is she…"

"Well, she could see the monster so I thought she might've been one."

"One what?" Sakuya asked.

The paused for a minute before the smaller one knelt down to her again with a smile. "What's your name?"

"Haguro Sakuya."

"I'm Watanuki Kimihiro."

"And I'm Domeki Shizuka."

"Right, well, Sakuya-chan…you are human, right?"

"Yep. But Nii-chan says I have epiphany…epitome…I can feel other people's emotions. And I'm going to be a sorceress when I'm bigger!" She pumped her fist in the air triumphantly when she said the last part.

The boys blinked at the last part. Watanuki kept smiling though. "Right…well, sorry about getting you in the path of that monster."

"S'okay. But I should probably get back to my Hokuto and the others or they'll worry." She turned then paused, turning again and still pausing. Finally she looked back at them with a teary, woeful expression. "I'm lost!!"

------------------------------------------------

"We lost Neina…" Watari muttered. "Hisoka is going to kill us."

"Don't worry, Watari, we'll find her." Tatsumi laid his hand on the scientist's shoulder. Inside he was worried as well though. A pretty six-year old girl alone in a large park is cause for worry.

"We'd find her quicker if we split up," Hokuto said.

"No way, we are not losing you on top of it all!"

"I'll be fine, I'm not a little kid."

"Uh, yeah, you are."

He glared at the taller man for a moment before taking off in a dead run. "I'll find her and bring her back!"

"Hokuto, get back here!!" It was too late though, he was gone with Watari's hand reaching out uselessly to stop him. "Dammit!! And we can't use our powers without attracting attention here!"

"Don't worry, we'll get them back Watari. Calm down."

"I can't calm down! We just lost two kids!"

"Watari!" He quickly grabbed the hands that were fisting in his hair. "It's okay. I promise I won't let anything happen to them. Just like I'd never let anything happen to you." Watari's eyes widened. "Or the others, of course."

He nodded and shifted his hands a little. Tatsumi let go of them gently and followed as Watari started in the direction Hokuto had run off. Tatsumi flexed his hands a little. _His wrists felt small in my hands…_ He looked at the back of his head distantly. _I would protect you Watari. I will._

-----------------------------------------

Sakuya cupped her hands over her eyes and looked around. "Nope, don't see 'em. You're tall, Domeki-san. Are you really just in high school?" Slumped over the older (at the moment) boy's head as she rode on his shoulders.

"Uh-huh."

"And you can get rid of ghosts?"

"Evidently."

"But you can't see them?"

"Nope."

She paused and then looked down at Watanuki standing next to them. "And you can see them but can't do anything to them, Watanuki-san?"

"Yeah."

"So…you really depend on Domeki-san, huh?"

"I do not depend on that big lummox!!"

"But he saves you all the time, right?"

"Yeah, well…" he looked away with a huff.

Sakuya blinked and looked down at Domeki. "I hope I have someone I can depend on one day."

Domeki smiled and patted her arm. "You will someday."

"Sakuya!!" She looked up in surprise to see Hokuto pelting down the path towards them. "Sakuya, over here!"

"Hokuto!" Domeki set her down as the boy ran up.

"Oi, you idiot! Why'd you wander off? Watari almost had a heart attack when we couldn't find you."

"I'm sorry," she mumbled. "I just wanted to practice one of my powers, and then I met Watanuki-san and there was a monster and he picked me up to get away from it and then Domeki-san got rid of it and then I couldn't remember where you all were s-so…"

The boy sighed and ruffled her hair. "S'okay. Just don't wander off again."

"But didn't you just wander off to find me?"

"That's different. I'm a big kid so I can take care of myself. You're just a little girl."

"I am not little!"

He laughed when she glared at him. "Okay, okay. C'mon, Watari and Tatsumi are probably really worried now."

"Alright. Bye Watanuki-san, bye Domeki-san. Oh!" She quickly ran over and pulled on Watanuki's sleeve till he knelt down. "I think Domeki-san likes you," she whispered. Watanuki stared at her blankly as she grinned and trotted back to follow Hokuto the way he came. "How'd you find me?"

"I don't know, I just sort of started running and ended up seeing you on that big guy's shoulders."

"Huh…you're like a bloodhound or something…"

"Hey, don't call me a dog!"

She giggled. "I didn't mean it in a bad way. I'm really glad you found me. I was worried I wouldn't see you again."

She blinked as he flushed slightly and rubbed the back of his head. "Uh, yeah…Sakuya?"

"Yeah?"

"Er…well…TAG!!" He suddenly smacked her arm, perhaps a little too hard, and ran off down the path.

"Hokuto, wait!" she ran off after him, slower thanks to her smaller build. "Hokuto, don't leave me behind! Wait!" She gasped when her foot caught a large stone and she pitched forward across the gravel. Hokuto slid to a stop and quickly doubled back.

"Sakuya, are you okay?"

She pushed her upper body up and brought her hands up. They were streaked with dirt and scratches that burned through her nerves. And she could feel similar wounds across her knees when she shifted. She sniffed once, twice, and then began crying.

"I'm sorry! I really didn't mean for you to fall!" She kept crying, tears coursing down her cheeks and sobs jumping from her throat. Hokuto, panicking, finally leaned forward and gave her a kiss on the lips to quiet her. When he pulled back her watery eyes were staring at him in disbelief. "I'm sorry…?"

She sniffed again and wiped her arm across her eyes. "It's alright. I-I'm okay." She blinked and looked at her hands again. "I'm okay...my hands are okay now…" She held them up to him as if to ask whether he saw it too. The blood that had started to bead was still there but the scratches had closed. Hokuto blinked and poked at her palm gently in confusion. She pulled her knees up as well to see the scrapes already smoothed over into new skin.

"How'd you do that?" he asked.

"I…I don't know…"

He helped her to her feet and petted her head gently. "I'm sorry you fell."

"It's okay. Why'd you kiss me?"

He flushed all the way up to his ears and looked away. "Well…'cause I don't like seeing you cry…"

She blushed as well but smiled. She opened her mouth to say something just when a loud yell rang out. "Thank kami you're both alright!!"

Tatsumi and Watari were running up the path towards them. When he was in distance he scooped Sakuya up and held her close. "You are alright aren't you?"

"Uh huh. I made some new friends and then Hokuto found me. So I'm good." Hokuto flushed again and looked away.

"Well, that's good. Although you're covered in dirt, Sakuya," Tatsumi said. Watari didn't seemed to mind at all and kept her close so she couldn't disappear on them again.

"Yeah. I fell. But I'm okay, all my scratches closed up like magic! Oh, is that a new power?"

"Probably. But what do you say we head home? I think we've all had an eventful enough afternoon."

"Okey dokey." She laughed as Watari swung her up over his shoulders. She was beginning to like this mode of transportation. "Hey, Watari-jiisan?" she whispered.

"Yes?"

"When I get older, can I marry Hokuto?"

Watari's step hitched slightly but he smiled. "Sure, I think that's a great idea."

"Yeah…"

"Looks like she's nodding off," Tatsumi said softly. "This one too. He must of ran the whole time he was looking for her." He shifted Hokuto slightly in his arms, the boys head resting on his shoulder. "So much for being a big boy now…"

"Every one likes to be coddled at some point, Tatsumi. You can't say you didn't enjoy it just a little bit when they were taking care of us."

"I shall deny till my next grave." Watari laughed and pulled the sleeping girl down into his arms. Blue eyes shifted over to how he cradled her close with a smile. "You seem to have become quite the mother hen, Watari."

He just smiled. "What can I say? They get to you after a while, like all really good things in life."

Tatsumi looked at him again and found he had the strangest urge, one he was barely able to keep under control, to reach out and take his hand. "Yes…they really do."

----------------------------------------------

Special thanks to Domeki and Watanuki from XXXholic for there guest appearances! Hopefully I'll be able to start getting these out on a better schedule soon…


	16. Sick Day

I live!!! Cripes, this took a while I know. My teachers are currently trying to suffocate me under schoolwork so blame them for the stupid update schedule! Also, I'm getting ready for a local con here which is eating into my time like a tapeworm (so worth it though ;D)

More updates soon, I promise! Especially for Family. I just survive on caffeine and typing if I have to if it will get these out faster! I'm having writer's backlog!

**laustic:** I know, I thought it was sweet when I wrote it X3 Writing for kids is hard but often rewarding in things like this, thank you!

**ola:** You should read some of my fics like 'Pace Yourself' or 'Like the Rain' if you like this. And if you're interested in Doumeki and Watanuki, read or watch XXXholic by the amazing CLAMP. So good!

**Trans:** XXXholic is very good if you like a little darkness with your humor and adventure. Just a little though. A little something for everyone here so I hope you enjoy!

**Hiyami:** I know what you mean about too many XD Wait, no I don't, there's no such thing as too much anime! But yeah, I think those too were literally made for each other. (_Hokuto:_ I'm not a dog!! And my mom says you're not supposed to point at people, it's rude! (points back as he says this)) Anyway, I've been thinking of having more guest stars on, maybe in Family as well. I just need to decide who…

If anyone wants more guest stars I'm open to suggestions:D

**jennamarie:** Glad to see you, stranger XD XXXholic actually ties in with Tsubasa! One of the main characters, Yuuko, is the space time witch. (I'm reading both, have yet to see the anime though) Well, I figure after decades of handling demons they'd be able to handle the situation okay. If they'd remained lost any longer though I guarantee you Watari would've damned the consequences and started flying around looking for them. The scratches question will be semi-answered at the end of this, but thank you for bringing it up and reminding me to put it in :D

Onward!!

----------------------------------------------

Hisoka frowned and pushed back the banes of the young girl in the bed, sweating and wheezing laboriously. Next to her was a boy, equally flushed and afflicted but trying to sleep through the onslaught of fever induced fatigue. His parents, still in their youthful state, were ill. It had happened two days ago after they had run outside to play in the rain. No one could guess who had contracted the cold first but in to time both of them were coughing and sneezing with fevers hot enough to fry eggs on their foreheads. Not that any of them had tried that of course.

"Nii-san?" Sakuya muttered. Here eyes were watery but they were open enough that she was looking at him.

"I'm here, Sakuya, don't worry," he said in as soothing a voice as he could. He was new to comforting a child. He reached out as if to push her hair back again but she shrank away as if it would burn her.

"Don't…" she muttered weakly.

"Sakuya?"

"Hurts…you're too worried, nii-san, it hurts…"

Hisoka cursed mentally. _Dammit! Her shields must be too weak and her empathy must be really sensitive with the fever._ Shuffling into his pocket he took out the dampener, set it to the highest setting and wrapped it around her wrist quickly. "Is that better?"

She blinked tiredly but nodded. "Yeah…what'd you do?"

"It's called a dampener," he fingered the bauble around her wrist. "You…my mother gave it to me for my empathy. It blocks other people's emotions."

"Don't you need it?"

He smiled and reached up to pet her once again without the fear of hurting her. "You need it more right now. Until you get better and maybe a little afterwards."

" 'M not a baby…" she muttered.

"Neither am I and I still want it around sometimes. Although I have gotten much stronger by training without it." He threaded his fingers through her hair and rubbed gently, chuckling when she smiled and almost purred.

"Hisoka…?" He looked up to see Hokuto blinking at him with bleary eyes.

"Hey. You okay?"

" 'M thirsty," he whispered hoarsely, coughing into the blanket when his voice was almost drowned by whatever was in his throat.

"I'll bring you some orange juice. It'll feel good on that cough."

"Me too?" Sakuya asked.

He nodded and left for the kitchen. The other shinigami were gathered there, it being a Sunday and all of them worried about their small invalid charges. "How are they?" Tatsumi asked when he walked in.

"Tired, thirsty, sneezy, and cranky."

"You forgot dopey," Watari joked half-heartedly. He was worried about them even if he did tell himself it was just a bad cold. Being a doctor however he could keep himself form thinking of all the things it could turn into.

"I'm getting them some juice. I found out Sakuya's empathy spikes when she's ill. I gave her the dampener to help."

"Man, like she's not going through enough," Tsuzuki muttered. "How about Hokuto?"

"No empathy to worry about but he's coughing more than Sakuya."

_Bronchitis, tonsillitis, emphysema—_"I'll come back with you. It's time for their medicine again."

"Oh, there's a fun game. Get the kids to drink their medicine," Tsuzuki said sourly. He was still nursing a goose-egg bump on his head from the last round. "We could always try giving them that Green Dragon soup," he said as if it was sudden inspiration from above.

"Yeah, great idea. Except my mother is the only one who knows how to make it and she currently doesn't know how."

"Oh…right."

"I'm sure they will be fine. We just need to wait it out—"

"Guys?" a weak rasp came from the doorway. Sakuya-chan stood there, pale as a ghost yet with the flush of a fever across her cheeks. She was swaying slightly as if her head were filled with helium only anchored by her body.

Tatsumi was the first to her, scooping her up before she could topple over. "Sakuya, what're you doing?!" he whispered harshly. "You're supposed to be in bed."

"I don't feel good…"

"We realize that but you have to stay in bed."

"No, I mean…I think I'm going to be sick…!" Tatsumi's eyes widened and he immediately dashed out of the kitchen towards the nearest bathroom. Watari and the others were hot on their heels, Tsuzuki and Hisoka breaking off to run to Hokuto. Tatsumi had luck on his side as he set the girl down before the toilet and lifted the lid quickly. She emptied what little contents were still in her stomach a moment later.

When she was through she sat back, sniffing, coughing and rubbing at her watering eyes. "Feel better?" the secretary asked.

"No!" she croaked. She began crying in earnest. Watari knelt down and cuddled her up into his arms.

"It's okay, shhhhh, shhhhh. It'll be alright, you'll be okay." She sobbed and buried her head in the crook of his neck, shivering with passing tremors of the violent evacuation of her stomach. Watari's eyes captured Tatsumi's and they both saw the mutual worry for the little girl. They didn't think it was deadly but it was definitely an ordeal.

Tatsumi reached out and rubbed her back, frowning at the vertebrae he could feel. Children shouldn't be that skinny. He'd recommend she'd eat if he wasn't worried she wouldn't be able to keep it in long enough to benefit from it.

Watari smiled a little when her tremors calmed down. The smile widened when he looked at Tatsumi. "You have a way with kids, don't you?"

He smiled in return, still rubbing her back through the nightgown. "Years of practice on Tsuzuki. His inner child is working the gears in his head I think. Little girls are a bit of a mystery though."

"You're doing well. Looks like she's falling back asleep already." He rocked her gently, chuckling at the muttered protest of being moved. Tatsumi took in the tender expression with widening eyes. Watari, golden hair barely kept back and shushing the girl in his arms was a sight he'd had never dreamed of. But…he liked it.

"You look like a mother almost…"

The scientist looked up in surprise then frowned. "Don't you mean father? I'm not a woman, Tatsumi."

"Not yet?" he quipped.

Watari smirked back. "Right. Not _yet_." Sakuya shifted a little and he carefully got a better grip on her before rising from his perch on the counter. "Let's get her back to bed."

"It'll have to be one of the others," Hisoka sighed. He stood in the doorway, a limp and listless Hokuto in his arms. "Hokuto wasn't able to make it out of the room. The bed got the brunt of it but Tsuzuki ended up in the line of fire too. He took the sheets down to the wash before teleporting home to change." There was a mumbled apology and Hisoka patted the boy's back. "You already apologized, Hokuto. It's okay. We're just going to clean you up now."

Tatsumi nodded and moved so he could enter the adjoining tub room and fill it up. "Maybe we should wash Sakuya up too. It might make her feel better."

Watari jostled her a little and she opened her eyes with an annoyed groan. "Sakuya-chan, would you like a bath?"

"……..baaaaath…."

"I think that's a yes."

Hisoka nodded and picked her up and then paused. "I don't think I can do this."

"Do what?"

"Give them a bath. Tsuzuki always did it when we watched them." That had been decided after a small argument about who would do it. Hisoka had one after he pointed out the same thing he would now to try and get out of it. "They're my parents, it's just too weird!" he added in a hiss.

Tatsumi blinked then turned to Watari with an expectant look. The scientist rolled his eyes and pushed past the teen into the bathroom. "Fine, I'll do it you big babies! I'm a doctor so it's no big deal."

"Thanks, Watari."

"Yes, thank you."

"I'm not doing it for you," he pointed out, unbuttoning Hokuto's soiled nightshirt and tossing it into the hamper. He ran the water carefully and didn't bother to look up when he heard the door close. "Okay, you two, lets get you cleaned up and warm."

"…waaarrm…"

He smiled at the joint request from the two and lifted them into the half filled tub. "No falling asleep, you two. I don't want to play lifeguard as well as doctor right now."

They did surprisingly well during the bath. Neither fell asleep completely, though they dozed a little as they relaxed in the water. Watari cleaned them carefully then wrapped them each in a big fluffy towel as he dried their hair with a convenient blow drier. When they were dry he accepted the extra clothes Hisoka handed off. When they were changed they brought them to a new room, this time with two beds in it to be on the safe side should one of them become nauseous again.

"Nii-san?"

He looked down at his mother. She looked a little better, her face a healthier shade of pink but her eyes were still too glazed looking and watery. But she was smiling and looked much more attentive now. His father looked about the same although he'd rolled himself in his blanket like an enchilada. "Yeah?"

"Will you tell me a story?"

"What?"

"A story. I'm not sleepy yet." Her drooping eyes spoke another language but she seemed determined to remain awake.

"Yeah. I wouldn't mind a story either," Hokuto rasped.

"You two need to sleep, not be entertained."

"Please?"

"Sleep."

"Story then sleep."

"Sleep then a story."

"Then it's not a bedtime story," Hokuto pointed out. Hisoka narrowed his eyes at the boy who pulled the blanket over his head as a shield.

Sighing, the blonde teen dragged a chair between the beds. They were quite close to one another so it was easy to make sure he was heard. "What kind of story?"

"Romance…"

"Ew, I'm sick enough already," Hokuto groaned.

"How about Sleepy Beauty?"

"I…don't know that one."

"Rapunzel?"

"Or that one."

"Cinderella?"

"…"

"Geez, were you born under a rock?" Hokuto asked.

He glared at the boy again. "Fairy tales weren't exactly a bedtime routine for me."

"Then make one up. You're always reading, you should be able to do something."

"Okay, uh…"

"Once upon a time," she prompted.

"Right, once upon a time…there was a…a princess?"

"Good. What kind?"

"Er…"

"A kung-fu princess!" Hokuto cheered, though he broke off into a small fit of coughs at the outburst.

"Can princesses learn kung-fu?"

"Sure, why not? And she lived in a kingdom far, far away…" _That's how stories usually go, right? Now what?_

"Did she live in a castle?"

"Sure she did," Tsuzuki said as he came in. "She lived in a big castle on top of a mountain with a two hundred rooms." Hisoka smiled gratefully as he sat down on the bed next to her. "She was beautiful too, with long blonde hair and green eyes and fierce, magical kung-fu powers."

"I like this princess…" she muttered with a smile.

"Me too…"

The princess, it seemed, was kidnapped by an eight headed monster one day. He was going to force the princess to marry him until a brave blue-eyed samurai saved her. Hokuto had added that part. The samurai freed the princess and together they defeated the eight headed monster.

"Did they live happily ever after?" Sakuya muttered sleepily. Tsuzuki rose and made sure Hokuto was well secure, being sure to be on his guard this time.

Hisoka smiled and brought the cover up to her chin. Placing a hand on her forehead his smile grew when he realized her fever had finally broken. "Yes. They lived happily ever after in the castle on the mountain, occasionally coming down to teach some more monsters a lesson."

"Good…" She winced suddenly and curled up.

"Sakuya?"

Pale green orbs, confusion etched within them, looked up and blinked. "Hisoka…honey?"

His own eyes widened. "Mom?"

The eyes scrunched shut again and opened reluctantly. "N…nii-san?"

The breath he held slowly escaped and he nodded with a gulp to try and wet his mouth. "It's okay, Sakuya. Go to sleep, you still need to rest."

" 'kay…oyasumi."

"Oyasumi." She closed her eyes and seemed to drift off right away. He watched her for a moment longer before walking out the door and turning out the lights.

"Everything okay?" Tsuzuki asked.

"Yeah…thanks for the story. I couldn't think of anything."

"Nobody can say I don't have an imagination," he grinned.

"Hey guys, are they feeling better?" Watari asked, walking up the hall toward them.

"Yeah. Sakuya's fever finally broke."

"So did Hokuto's."

"I thought that might be the case."

"Huh?" they asked together.

Watari took a Styrofoam container out from behind his back and held it out. "Look familiar?"

"That looks like the take out we had weeks ago. Didn't we throw that out?"

"Evidently we missed one. And from the looks of it the kids had some for a snack at some point when we weren't watching. It wasn't just a cold they had but probably a virus from this or a mild form of food poisoning."

"Yikes!" Handed it back after looking inside. "I think something moved in there!"

"Yeah, I'm tossing it now. We should be more careful about watching them. Their probably close to changing back and there's no telling how vulnerable they could be right now."

_Close to changing back?_ He looked at the door and imagined the two behind it returning to their adult forms. He remembered the way Sakuya had called him what Neina always did, the look in her eyes when she said it. Were they close to changing back or was it just the remains of the fever talking?

"Hisoka, you okay?"

"Yeah…Just thinking that's all."

"Okay…do you want to go to sleep now? We could stay over or—"

"No…let's go home. They'll be fine and we can come back in the morning before work."

"Alright."

They got their coat and jackets, bid the scientist and the secretary good night and walked out the door. "Tsuzuki?" Amethyst eyes turned to him inquisitively with a small smile around his lips. "Do you think you'd ever be able to forget?"

"Forget what?"

"This…us, the ministry, your shiki…do you think you would be able to forget?"

He stopped and looked at him with a frown. "What brought this on?"

He wet his lips and took a deep breath before he went on. "I…I think my mom's still in there some where. I mean, I know she still is my mom _technically_, but I mean the mom who knows she's my mom and not just my mom before she was herself and…" he stopped when he took in the nearly cross eyed look of his boyfriend and sighed. "I'm not making any sense, am I?"

"Yes…and no. Do you mean you think Sakuya remembers being Neina?"

"Yes! At least somewhere inside herself she remembers. I've caught her staring at things before as if trying to remember where she's seen them before and…and staring at me like that. I've been wondering for a while but now I really think it might be possible."

Tsuzuki sighed and ran a hand up his neck. "Well, if you're right then…well, I don't know. What could that possibly mean?"

"It means she'll remember things like spells and the fact I'm her son for one thing, but what if…you know…she's still a kid when she remembers?"

"Oi…What about Hokuto? You think he remembers?"

"I'm not sure. My dad was hard to read when he was an adult sometimes, as a kid I don't know what to pay attention to and what to discard as just being a kid."

"Hmmm…Well, I can say one thing with certainty."

"What's that?"

He smirked and leaned down to capture his lips in a light but somehow searing kiss. With the dampener still in the hands of the child he was able to brush against the shields with gentle caresses of affection and longing, wracking shivers down his spine. "I will never forget you, no matter what happens. Ever."

It was a good thing the side walk was barren of nightly wanderers because the pale cheeks of the smaller shinigami were burning bright enough to look like a small beacon. As hot as he was he vaguely wondered if he'd caught that fever and gulped. "…Baka. Walk me home."

"Yessir," he laughed, reaching down to lace their fingers together.

In the morning they came to find Sakuya curled up in Hokuto's bed, both children healthy but sleeping soundly in one another's body heat.

---------------------------------------

Well, here you go. The next few chapters are going to be the wrap up of everything but there's going to be _a lot_ of action. REVIEW and SUGGEST if you have anything you'd like me to add before it's over. Stay tuned for more updates soon, promise!


	17. Imagine That

Wow, it's finally done…this took a while cause I couldn't get my book to reference for all the shiki names until a few days a go. Also midterms are about hit me like a mac truck.

**Hiyami:** Actually I used to sleep walk a lot as a kid. I ended up in the dumbwaiter once. Still haven't figured that one out yet…I've been thinking about putting Yuuko in somewhere. She's just a lot of fun. Maybe she should've sat the kids XD And yes, Doumeki and Watanuki are OTP. No question.

Hokuto: XP (pfffthp!!!) Nyahh!! You started it!!

Stop teasing my reviewers, you little brat!!

**Trans:** Thank you. Intimate little moments like that are hard for me since I have nothing to draw on (i.e. never been kissed T-T) so knowing you think its spot on is really encouraging.

**laustic:** That story was the most random little tidbit I've ever written in all honesty XD Yeah, Watari would make a really great mama…papa…person…yes. He'd be the 'fun' parent and Tatsumi would be the disciplinarian :D Somebody's got to do it!

**MYSOU: **Ooo, never seen you before! How's it goin? Thank you for such a nice review :3 Makes me happy! No Watari-mama this time, sorry, but I hope you like it all the same.

**jennamarie:** Making new words is fun, especially when you don't tell other people what they mean! (I was an evil, evil little girl…) Ah, haven't had the pleasure of bad aim yet but I know karma will bring it around eventually. Soon…ish. Looks like we got a couple more chapters to go _with more action_!! Truthfully I haven't decided on who's going first yet ; But I got an idea I'll run with and see where it goes. That's how I do most of my writing anyway.

I realize I don't give enough love to the shikigamis in my stories. Thus, I have written this. For those of you who haven't read the manga to at least book 9, ya might get a little confused. For those who have I did guess on a few of the color schemes in here.

Everyone enjoy the madness!!

---------------------------------------------------------

"The chief?"

"We can't put him through that."

"The Gushoshin?"

"Not really equipped for this sort of thing."

"Wakaba and Terazuma?"

"As much fun as I know you'd get from Terazuma having to deal with the kids, they're leaving on a mission this afternoon too. They're almost done getting ready."

"…Saya and Yuma?"

"I'm going to pretend you didn't say that," Hisoka said icily. Tsuzuki groaned and let his head hit the desk in defeat. It was a one of the busy seasons for the summons bureau and an urgent mission had come through for them while Tatsumi and Watari were off on a mission of their own. This left them with a very precarious question:

Who was going to baby-sit the kids?

"We can take care of ourselves," Hokuto said as he leaned over on the desk. Sakuya was next to him, dangling with her arms folded on the desk top.

"Oh yes, I'm sure. We'd just feel better if there was someone…er, older there," the purple eyed man said lamely.

"We could call my parents," Sakuya said.

"No, I'm afraid their still unreachable," Hisoka said as he set the paper down. He'd thought about hiring someone for the day but he had a feeling asking a human to watch two rambunctious children, one with budding magical powers no less, was asking too much.

_Asking a human…_ "Tsuzuki, do you think one of your shiki could watch them?"

Amethyst eyes widened and he brought his head up. "My shiki? Hey, yeah! In fact, I can do better than just one…"

-----------------------------------------------------

Wakaba finished typing in the sequence and stood back. "Okay, we're good to go whenever you're ready."

"Go on then," Tsuzuki said. The children were watching with interest and gasped when the computer suddenly flashed. Blinking the spots from their eyes, the followed the trail of a few falling feathers upward.

"Tengu…" Hokuto breathed. He had seen creatures like them on their temple lands before though very rarely as they were slowly disappearing from the human world. The bird creatures hovered for a few moments above them before landing softly. Their beaked visages melted away to the form of two handsome young men.

"You summoned, miko?" the swarthier of the two asked with a smile.

"Miko?!" Hisoka asked incredulously.

"Yep," Tsuzuki said with a smile. "The women Wakaba's family have been priestesses for generations. Its how she's able to be one of the four gatekeepers."

"Hi Kotaro! Hi Kojiro!" Wakaba laughed. "Looking sharp! Sorry for being so sudden about this but they all need to go to the imaginary world for a while. We need to leave the kids there for safe keeping for a while."

"I see…so Tsuzuki and three children are to come?"

"Three…hey!" Getting over his initial shock Hisoka fumed at the tengu. "_I'm _not going. I have to prepare for our mission. Just Tsuzuki and the kids are going. The _real_ kids."

Sakuya turned from examining the paler, less talkative tengu to the teen. "You're not coming, nii-san?"

He frowned and knelt down to ruffle her hair affectionately. "No. I was supposed to go eventually to get my own shiki, but so much has come up. And I do have to make the rest of the preparations for this mission."

She frowned a little before hugging him around the neck. "Come back safe, okay?"

He rose with her still clinging to him and hugged back enough to reassure. "I will. But you'd better go with them now." He passed her to Tsuzuki, ruffling her hair again when she gave him a forlorn look and left the room.

"Are we ready now?" Kotaro asked.

"Yep. I'll need to come back after dropping them off." Tsuzuki held Sakuya a little tighter when she squeezed him. She wasn't apparently thrilled in everyone leaving her behind, even if she was with Hokuto. Tsuzuki took his free hand and grasped the boy's hand, squeezing to ensure he wouldn't let go. Blue eyes looked up worriedly but said nothing.

"Right," both tengu nodded flew to hover over the computer once more. "If you get motion sickness easily I would shut your eyes!"

That was as much of a warning as they received before the swirling vortex within the computer overtook them. Sakuya and Hokuto shut their eyes and the breath they'd held escaped when the floor disappeared and they began to fall. Hokuto's fingers loosened in shock and almost slipped from the shinigami's grasp before he was able to wrap an arm securely around him and hoist him up. Tsuzuki flew up immediately, now holding both of them to him. He glided down more gently until they landed on a small plane of grass.

"You can open your eyes now," he said quietly as he set them down on shaking legs. Eyes blinked open and squinted against the sun above, then widened as they took in everything around them.

"Wow!!" Sakuya laughed. She turned and looked out over the sprawling castle down below. "It's like a fairytale!"

"Of course," Tsuzuki chuckled. "This is where my shiki come from. It's very peaceful here and safe so—"

"Then what's going on over there?" Hokuto asked. Tsuzuki looked over where he pointed to see a plume of smoke rising conspicuously. A sudden explosion, this one close enough to be felt as well as heard, made them tense.

"Er, well…that would be my…watch out!!" He grabbed them up again and moved them as two fighters crested the hill. One was in the form of a man with cropped black hair wearing a visor and silver claws. The other was a woman dressed in crimson with wild dark hair and a sword she was swinging at the man.

"Touda!! You bastard, get back here!!" She swung the sword again, an ark of flame rushing towards him which he deflected with a swipe of his claws.

"Suzaku, stop!! Touda!!"

"Tsuzuki?!" the woman stopped abruptly and turned, a smile lighting up her lovely face. She rushed over but paused a few feet away. Sticking the sword in the ground, she dusted herself off of all the ash and dust and only when she was satisfied she was clean enough did she propel herself forward and wrap her arms around the shinigami's torso. "This is so sudden! Why didn't you say you were coming to visit?"

Tsuzuki smiled and hugged her back before stepping away. "I would've but it was rather sudden on my side too. I need to ask a favor of all of you."

"Anything."

He smiled and gestured to the wide eyed children at his side staring at the woman with a mixture of awe and trepidation. "These kids are very important to Hisoka and I. Please look after them for us, just until we can come back for them."

Suzaku stared down in confusion for a moment before crouching down. "My my. You brought two young humans here just for us to look after?"

"I assure you, they are anything but normal."

The fire shiki continued scrutinizing them. Hokuto grinned suddenly. "You're really pretty!"

She smiled and petted him, to which he grinned even more. "I like them already. Don't worry about a thing, we'll all take good care of them. Except for you, Touda!!" she suddenly rounded on the man, who had been standing silently and near motionlessly behind them the whole time. "Don't you come near them!"

"Tsuzuki's orders were for us all to watch over them and I shall comply with his orders only," he said. Sakuya leaned around the woman to get a better look at him and blinked. He had an almost robotic quality to him that made her curious.

"You'll just put them in danger. Leave this to the more rational of us."

"I am perfectly rational."

"You're _too_ rational!"

"Hey, what're you fighting about now?" The voice had no body to it until a sudden white bundle crashed into Tsuzuki. "Hey Tsuzuki!! Nice to see you!!"

"Byakko!" He laughed as they detangled themselves from one another. "I was just telling them that I need all of you to look after these two for me. Because, well, it's complicated but…uh, hey kids, could you go off somewhere? I need to speak with them alone for a minute." The children shrugged and walked back to the crest of the hill as he explained as best he could what had happened. When he was done all three shiki were quiet for a moment.

"Wow…so, wait, do you mean those too are…?" Tsuzuki nodded to the tiger's implied question.

"Amazing…" Suzaku looked to where the kids were staring out over the lands again, pointing things out to one another with big smiles. "I never would've guessed. Honestly, they don't look like they could be your partner's parents."

"For now they're not. They're just Sakuya and Hokuto, understand?" They nodded and he smiled and called the children back over. "I have to go now but I'll be back when our mission's over to bring you home. Until then, just listen to my shiki. I have nine others who will take care of you too. They'll introduce you once you get down there. And Kotaro and Kojiro will be flying around somewhere if you need them." They nodded and hugged the shinigami before he took off into the sky and disappeared.

"Don't worry kids!" Byakko said. "We're going to have a great time, I promise!"

"I didn't realize you liked kids so much," Suzaku said as she ushered the four of them onto the path. Touda watched them go before taking off back into the forests, not unseen by Sakuya who watched him go with a frown.

"Well yeah! And their related to Hisoka," he added in a whisper. "So they can't be too much of a handful. Okay kids, there's lots to do around here! Just remember a few things like…" the shiki went on to describe various aspects of the imaginary world but children were captivated by the tiger's tail. They followed it with their eyes as it swayed back and forth, left and right as he walked.

"That can't be real…" Sakuya whispered.

"I bet it is. This place is probably filled with a lot of the creatures that have been leaving the human world. A bunch already left the mountains around my temple so maybe they came here."

"But it's so long!! A tail shouldn't be that long."

"I bet it is. Dare you to find out," he grinned. Sakuya looked uncertain but he nudged her. "Go on! You're the one who says it isn't real."

Faltering for a moment, watched it sway once more before reaching out and grasping it with bother her small hands. Then she pulled.

"YOWCH!!!" Byakko's yell echoed around them as he rounded on the girl, claws out. The snarl cascaded into a confused grunt when he saw the wide, frightened green eyes looking up at him. _Man, she really does look like the kid…_ Sakuya's lip quivered and he immediately began go flounder. "I-it's okay!! I'm not angry!! See, its fine!" He pulled it himself, wincing but managing a smile through it. "See? Just fine. I'm not angry at all. But, uh, could you not do that again? Please?" Sakuya let go of the tail and nodded. "Thanks," sighed.

"Yes, quite the technique you've got there," Suzaku chuckled. The tiger gave the phoenix a sour look as they picked up their path again.

When they entered the courtyard of the estate Sakuya and Hokuto looked around in awe. "It really is like a castle…" he muttered.

Suzuku smiled and leaned down. "So, what do you kids like to do?"

"Lot's of stuff," the boy said. "Mostly just whatever's fun."

"Fun huh…?"

Sakuya looked down when she felt something roll against her foot. Picking up a golden woven ball, she turned around to see to new shiki coming towards them. One was a young girl with pink eyes and the other a young boy that eerily resembled Hisoka. His eyes however were pure yellow without the iris and his hair was a shade of dark blue, like the girl's. Both were dressed very regally in fine clothes and crowns. Sakuya smiled and walked over, holding out the ball. "Is this yours?"

The girl nodded and took it. "Thank you. Are you a human?"

"Tenko, that's a bit rude," the boy admonished.

"S'okay. Yeah, I'm human. Are you both shiki?"

"Uh huh. I'm Tenko and this is my brother, Kijin. It's nice to meet you," they both bowed.

"It's nice to meet you too," she bowed back. "I'm Sakuya."

"Are you here to find a shiki? You seem a bit young," Kijin said.

"No, Tsuzuki-jiisan brought us here to be watched while he and Hisoka-niisan are on a mission."

"Oh I see. So you're a friend of Tsuzuki's?"

"Uh huh. Do you want to play?" she asked excitedly.

Tenko looked a little hesitant and glanced up at her brother. "Go on," he smiled. "It's not everyday you get playmates like these."

Her face lit up as she followed Sakuya out from the shaded walkway to the courtyard. "Hokuto!" The boy turned from explaining a few human games to Suzaku and Byyako. "Hokuto, this is Tenko. Tenko, this is Hokuto."

Hokuto smiled and bowed. "Nice to meet you." _She's cute!!_

"Nice to meet you," Tenko returned. "Do you want to play ball?" she held up the golden orb in question.

"Sure! What about you guys?" He turned to look up at the older shiki, he waved their hands to pass.

"Er, I think we're a little big. It wouldn't be a very even match. But we'll come and watch. The gardens should be a good place to play."

"Oh yes!" Tenko said. "That sounds wonderful. It's been a long time since I've had other children to play with."

"Really?" Sakuya asked as they began to walk towards the other side of the courtyard.

"Yes." Tenko looked wistfully towards the upper levels of the castle. "New shiki powerful enough to take human form have not been born in a long time. I'm the youngest here."

"That's rough," Hokuto said, throwing his hands behind his head.

"It's not so bad. I'm not really lonely, I have my father and my brother and many animal shiki to play with. But it's nice to play with someone else who has fingers."

The kids chuckled as they walked through another archway onto a rolling expanse of land filled with meadows, woods, a lake and fields upon fields of flowers. Sakuya and Hokuto's mouths fell open as they followed the shiki out more slowly to take it all in.

"If this is your garden, what they heck does your front yard look like?" Hokuto said. He jolted when his blonde friend ran past to catch up with Tenko and the others.

"C'mon, Hokuto!! Last one there's a rotten squid!!"

_I thought it was 'egg'…_Racing after, he laughed as he past the girl easily onto the field. This was proving to be one of the more memorable days in their lives.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Hisoka sighed and looked out the window of their hotel. "How do you think their doing?"

Tsuzuki looked up as he put away his jacket into the small closet they were sharing. He smiled fondly at the blonde's obvious anxiousness. "Just fine, I'm sure. The imaginary world's not a boring place."

"But is it safe?"

"They've got twelve shiki watching over them, more so if they manage to make some new friends."

"That's not exactly answering my question…" the youth said suspiciously.

Tsuzuki sweatdropped and smiled as reassuringly as possible to the formidable glare he was given. "Now, now. I'm the shiki will make sure to avoid any dangerous points. Although if old man Tenku is still setting up those traps…" he muttered to himself.

"What was that?"

"Nothing! Absolutely nothing." His hasty 'don't hurt me-kicked puppy' look faded into another smile as he walked over and slipped an arm around the boy's shoulders. "You don't have to worry Hisoka. You shouldn't be distracted like this on a mission."

"I know…I can't seem to help it though. What if they…I don't know, change back or something?"

"Then they change back over their and probably give some of my shiki a run for their money. If they had money that is."

"Tsuzuki…" He chuckled at the growl and pressed a kiss to the youth's temple, out right laughing at the embarrassed blush that swept over his pale cheeks.

"Want to know something? I'm worried too. But I know my shiki will take good care of them. I have faith in them. And I have faith in Sakuya and Hokuto because they're _them. _And they're your parents. If that doesn't speak volumes for what they can accomplish nothing can."

Hisoka sat quietly in thought for a moment before leaning against Tsuzuki more fully and resting his head on his shoulder. The elder shinigami was surprised but said nothing and enjoyed the heat seeping through to his skin from the other body. "Baka…" he muttered, to which the amethyst eyed man just smiled and rested his head against his.

--------------------------------------------------------


	18. Imagine This

"I got it

It's back!! Yeah, I've been focusing on Family the last month because this one has a tiny bit that will influence that.

**laustic:** Yeah, it's going to get nuts XD hope you like this one too!

**jennamarie**: I know…but he might come to pick them up, who knows. ( I should actually…) Neina already has an extensive resume, but that would be an impressive addition! XD Yes, planning something…hehehehehe.

**Hiyami**: Oh yeah, Hokuto is a trouble magnet. And I've got a surprise for you! Oh, and Hokuto's sulking somewhere. He doesn't like this chapter and is currently not speaking to me. That part actually happens in the manga, btw, Suzaku patting herself down I mean. I just thought it was really cute so I included it X3 Hope you like this!

Have fun!! I'm off…to study…bleh.

--

"I got it!! I got it!!" Sakuya yelled, running backwards to catch the golden ball that Hokuto had thrown high in the air during their game with Tenko. It bounced off her head and rolled into the woods, accompanied by laughs from the other players and spectators. The shiki went back to talking amongst themselves almost immediately though when the kids began to argue.

"You got it, alright," Hokuto laughed.

She rubbed her head with a pout. "No fair, you threw it too high!!"

"No, you just can't catch."

Sakuya stuck her tongue out at him then glanced behind her where the ball had gone. "I'll get the ball." _Then I'll chuck it at Hokuto's head!_ Walking into the woods she frowned when the ball wasn't immediately visible. _Where…?_ Pushing a little farther in, she blinked when she found what appeared to be a sliding door in between two trees. But the door had nothing in back of it or in front. It was just a door. _Weird…I wonder what this is doing here?_

The door slid open quite suddenly to reveal an annoyed looking teen in glasses. "Open the door, open the door…you're in the same damn room, you can open the door yourself— Why does this door lead into a forest!? Eh?" Looking down he blinked at the girl looking up at him in equal confusion.

"Wa…Watanuki-san?"

"Sakuya-chan? What're you doing—?"

"Don't just stand there. Let her in."

"Eh?" He looked behind him and Sakuya leaned to the side to see who was speaking. A beautiful woman was lounging on a mound of pillows. She smiled at her and motioned at the girl to come in.

Sakuya walked forward, glancing up at Watanuki before looking back at the woman. _She looks…familiar…_ "Who are you?"

"I'm Watanuki's boss. You can call me Yuuko. Please, come sit with me a while Ne…Ah, I'm sorry, you're name is Sakuya now isn't it?" She looked up at her still confused protégé and smiled. "Watanuki-kun, how about some snacks?"

"Yuuko-san, if you're going to strike a deal with her I'm—"

"This is just a visit, Watanuki, I assure you. Please, the snacks. And make sure we aren't disturbed."

The boy looked hesitant a moment before leaving.

"How'd you know my name?" Sakuya asked, sitting on one of the cushions. "Did Watanuki tell you?"

"He has mentioned you before, yes."

"Did you know I was coming?"

"I had a feeling I would be seeing you today. It has been almost twenty-five years now."

"Twenty-five years since what?"

She smiled and patted her head gently. "You wouldn't remember. It hasn't happened to you yet."

"Huh?"

She just smiled. "Tell me, what do you think of Watanuki and Doumeki?"

Green eyes blinked before she giggled at the memory of her meeting the boys in the park. "Doumeki like Watanuki! A lot. And Watanuki likes Doumeki too but won't admit it."

Yuuko laughed and clapped her hands. "I knew it!"

"They're kind of like my nii-san's friends, Tatsumi and Watari. Kind of…uh…what's the word…?"

"Slow? Dense? Oblivious?"

"One of those, yeah. Maybe all of them. I want to try and get them together." She suddenly grinned up at her. "Are you trying to get Watanuki and Doumeki together?"

"Oh yes, just one of my many little projects right now. I'm a very busy woman at the moment. But I was hoping there was something you could help me with right now…"

--

"Sakuya's been gone a while…" Tenko said worriedly. "Perhaps we should inform the others."

"She's probably just lost," Hokuto said.

"What do you mean 'just lost'?" Suzaku asked, looming over the two children. "Where's Sakuya?"

"Uh…She went to find the ball when it rolled off."

"Where?" He pointed into the woods and Suzaku bit back a string of curses. "You've got to be kidding me!! We turned our back for a minute, how did…Never mind. Byakko!!"

"What?" he ran up from over the hill where he'd been talking to some other shiki.

"We lost one!!"

"What?!" he zoomed down the hill, looking between Tenko and Hokuto quickly. "Oh man! I thought you were watching them!!"

"I told you I needed to catch up on my duties!!" she pointed where a scroll and ink brush were left on the hill where she had evidently been writing a report of some kind while the kids were playing. "I asked you to watch them while I did!"

"I needed to make sure there were no disturbances! And you wouldn't be so behind on paperwork if you weren't always picking those pointless fights with Touda!"

"What did you say?" the phoenix-woman asked lowly.

The bickering continued as the kids looked on. "This is getting us nowhere. I'm going to go look for her," Hokuto told Tenko.

"I should come with you, in case you get lost too."

"No, I'll be okay. Their kind of like the woods around my temple. You stay here and if they stop fighting, tell them where I went.

She nodded though she looked uneasy. "I will inform my brother as well when he returns from trying to find father."

"Right. I'll be back soon, promise!" He turned and raced into the woods quickly. Looking around he grimaced. _Where did she go?_ "Sakuya!! Sakuya, where are you?! It's me, Hokuto!! Sakuya!!" He continued walking around and calling for her, frowning when he found no sign of her. _I don't get it! Did she disappear?_ He paused when he came to a large pond that was part of the garden obviously. On the bridge was a man in royal looking robes, gazing into the water contemplatively. "Hey!! Excuse me!!"

The man looked up, golden eyes narrowing at the boy running over to him. His long blue hair was half pulled up regally and he looked to be in his late thirties.

"I'm sorry, but have you seen a girl? Little younger than me, blonde hair, pretty green eyes?"

"What are you doing here, boy?" he asked coldly.

Hokuto blinked, feeling suddenly rather uneasy. "Um…I'm looking for the girl…Sakuya…have you—"

"No human child should be here…something in your blood is not right. What are you?"

"Huh?" Hokuto took a step back as a sword appeared in the shiki's hand.

"You are not meant to be here!! Whatever reason you came, it will only end in distruction!!" He raised the sword and Hokuto's eyes widened as the blade's point came toward him his chest.

--

Sakuya closed the book Yuuko had handed her and took the offered pen. Writing something down, she then handed the pen and the paper back to the witch. "Was that all you wanted?"

"Yes. Thank you very much."

"It was nothing. But I should probably go now, Yuuko-san. The others are probably angry at me for going off again."

"Very well." Yuuko rose and opened the door that led back out into the imaginary forest. "I wish you a safe trip. You may want to hurry that way though," she pointed at a path through the woods. "I believe you'll find your one of your friends is in trouble there."

"Trouble?" She gasped as Yuuko suddenly tossed Tenko's golden ball at her. She caught it this time and looked up in confusion. "You had it?"

Yuuko smiled and patted her head gently. "Till next we meet, little dragon."

Sakuya blinked at the strange term but bowed to the witch. Rising she found the door had disappeared. _What a strange lady…I like her!_ Turning she hurried down the path Yuuko had pointed out to her.

Inside the shop Yuuko stood before the door a moment longer before returning to the cushions. "I know you are there, Watanuki-kun. There's no point in hiding. Oh, and Sakuya liked your little tarts very much. Especially the blackberry ones."

Watanuki opened the door to the shops interior, glaring suspiciously at the his boss. "Did you strike a deal with her?"

"Yes and no. I asked for her assistance on another transaction." She held up the book, the slip of paper jutting from it. "A child's eyes can see things we cannot. I merely asked her to read what was on a few of these pages and tell me what she saw."

"But you know her, don't you?"

She smiled brightly at him. "Oh, you've been paying attention, Watanuki-kun! I'm so proud!"

"Can it and just tell me!!"

The smile turned more devious when she set the book down again. "I met Haguro Sakuya twenty-five years ago when she was barely sixteen."

"What?! Yuuko, Sakuya-chan is barely _six_ how can she be…over forty!?"

"Things happen we cannot predict, Watanuki. But it is all—"

"Hitsuzen, right, right, I know. But…" He sighed, messaging the bridge of his nose under his glasses. "Whatever…nothing should surprise me anymore, honestly."

"That's the spirit!"

He glared at her tiredly. "You didn't make a deal with her though, right?"

"Nope. Just needed her help and returned a missing ball to her, that's all."

"Fine, fine. I'm going to go finish cleaning up and head home."

"Alright. Oh, leave a something nice and alcoholic chilling for me won't you?"

There was a ragged sigh and the boy hanged his head in defeat, knowing it was useless to argue and thankful she had at least waited until the girl had left. Yuuko smiled, reclining back against the cushions. _A deal? No, not this time. I already have what we bargained for twenty-five years ago._ _Hmmm…should probably go find that. We'll be needing it soon._

Rising, she took the book and left the room, closing the room behind her. Tomorrow the room would probably not even be there.

--

The sword was mere inches from Hokuto's chest before he felt himself picked up and flying through the air. Blinking, he looked up to see the dark haired man in the visor was holding him with one arm around his middle.

"Touda!!" The blue haired man roared. "Why do you protect that human?! He will bring nothing but grief upon us!!"

"Tsuzuki has ordered this child's protection, Souryu."

"What?!"

"Yeah, what he said!" Hokuto said.

"You expect me to believe that?!"

"I follow Tsuzuki's orders. You should as well."

"You bastard! Do not speak to me about what I should do!" The sword swiped at them and Touda jumped out of the way. "My duty is to both my master and my people! If that child is a danger to either I shall kill him!"

"I'm not doing anything!! I was just asking if you'd seen Sakuya, we lost her in the forest!!"

"The other is lost?" Touda asked.

"What do I care for some lost child? It is probably another harbringer of destruction as well. Better it should be lost forever."

"What did you say, you jerk?!" Hokuto yelled, squirming in Touda's arms as if to break free and go after the dragon god.

"Impudent little—" Whatever rant he was about to go on was stopped as a golden ball thunked against his head and rolled away.

"Leave him alone!!" Sakuya yelled.

"Sakuya, you're okay!!"

"Of course I'm okay. You're the one with someone trying to kill you."

"You little…" Souryu glared down at her. Sakuya stared back up, a little nervous but still more angry than anything. Golden eyes blinked down at her as the look of rage faded into one of annoyed confusion. "Who are you? You have too much power within to be a normal human."

"I'm Sakuya, and you're a big meanie!!" She said, pointing up at him. "What kind of a grown man picks a fight with little kids?!"

There was a soft cough from Touda that might've been a laugh, it was hard to tell. Souryu looked ready to burst when another finally made it to the bridge. "Father, stop!! They are Tsuzuki's charges, he's asked us to take care of them!" Kijin yelled.

Souryu looked at his son, narrowing his eyes slightly. "This is true? Are you certain?"

"Yes. Tsuzuki wants them protected. They will be leaving once he returns."

Souryu glared at the boy, then at the girl before turning and walking away from the bridge. "Keep them out of my sight."

"Yes, father," Kijin said, bowing with a relieved sigh. _He can't go against Tsuzuki's orders. Still, best to keep them away from him as paranoid as he's become._

Touda set Hokuto down on the bridge again. Sakuya picked up the ball she'd used to hit Souryu and walked over to them. "Are you okay, Hokuto-chan?"

"Fine…" he muttered.

She looked up at Touda and smiled. "Thanks for saving him, Touda-san."

"I didn't need saving! I would've been fine on my own."

"Actually, if I had been more than a second late that sword would have punctured two of your major arteries, your upper heart, and your left lung. Death would not have been in a matter of seconds."

Hokuto and Sakuya both paled and Hokuto gulped. "Oh…" he said hoarsely.

"Then really thanks, Touda-san!!" Sakuya said. The barest of smiles came to the man's face before he looked up.

"I should go." Without another word he was gone in a blur. The children blinked before Suzaku, Byakko, Tenko and a new shiki they hadn't met came racing up the path.

"We sensed Souryu's power spiking! What' happened?!" Suzaku yelled.

Kijin sighed, ushering the children off the bridge. Sakuya held the ball out to Tenko who took it with a smile. "Father found them and thought they were a threat. Luckily Touda came in and saved Hokuto in time."

The boy flushed and looked away with a glare. Suzaku scoffed and folded her arms over her impressive chest. "Touda? Save someone? Your pulling my leg, right?"

"No, he really did save Hokuto!!" Sakuya said enthusiastically. "He pulled him out of the way of the sword! I was still up the path when it happened but I saw. I was really scared for a minute that Hokuto was gonna be killed. Touda-san was really cool!" Hokuto glared even more but said nothing. "All I did was throw the ball at his head."

Kijin and Tenko gaped at her, Tenko looking down at her ball in disbelief. "You…you threw my ball at my father?"

"You're father?! Oh yeah, Kijin did call him father…Um, sorry…"

Tenko laughed a little. "I sort of wish I could've seen that. The look on his face must've been interesting."

"Tenko…" Kijin said warningly.

"But still, Touda was much cooler. And he's really fast! I didn't even see him move when he was dodging him."

The Suzaku still looked doubtful but the new shiki smiled brightly.

"Well, seems I wasn't needed after all."

"Oh, sorry for troubling you Rikugo," Byakko said.

"It was no trouble. And I'm glad to be meeting the children Tsuzuki wants us to protect." He knelt down, extending his hand to them. "I'm Rikugo, another shiki. Pleased to meet you." His eyes closed in a jubilant smile, but above them a second pair opened. Another eye on his hand opened and blinked up at them.

The screams from the two human children were loud enough to send a few birds flying from the trees into the sky. "E…eyes…so many eyes…" Sakuya muttered, shivering in Byakko's arms. Suzaku had hold of Hokuto as they walked back to where they would be staying that night, as the sun was beginning to sink lower in the sky.

The tiger gave the other shiki a flat look. "You do that on purpose, I know it."

"Well it's easier to get them back to their quarters now, isn't it?"

"They think you're a monster!"

"They'll feel better once I fix them dinner."

"…you are a strange one, Rikugo."

--

Hisoka frowned and looked out over the crowd with a distant gaze.

"Hey, be alert, 'Soka. We need to make sure we find this guy and bring him in quickly."

"I know…I just…got a very bad feeling all of a sudden. Do you think the kids are still okay?"

"I'm sure they're fine. My shiki will take good care of them, don't worry."

"But are all your shiki safe for them." There was a long pause where Tsuzuki just smiled and Hisoka narrowed his eyes. "Tsuzuki…"

"They'll be fine. They will." But he didn't sound so convincing this time. _Maybe I should've told them not to let Souryu near them…_

--

Sakuya yawned and sat up in the bed. Tenko had insisted that she stay in her room and the plush bed was more than big enough for both of them and she had fallen asleep almost immediately after crawling in thanks to the long day and her full stomach. Rikugo was a wonderful cook and very nice, though the six eyes were distracting sometimes. But right now a pressing matter was at hand.

"Tenko…Tenko-chan…" She whispered, shaking the young shiki gently. Pink eyes fluttered open and looked up at her sleepily. "I'm sorry, but where's the restroom?"

"Mmmn…down the hall. The blue door with the silver handles," she mumbled sleepily.

"Thank you. Sorry again." She slipped out of the bed and through the room's door quietly so that she could fall asleep again. Walking down the hall, she sighed when she found the door and entered. Exiting when she was done, she was about to go back to Tenko's room when she noticed a figure out on the balcony. Softly walking over, she opened the door. "Touda-san?"

The serpent god looked over at her soft voice. "Sakuya, what are you doing out of bed?"

"Bathroom. What about you?"

"I'm patrolling the grounds."

"Patrolling?"

"I'm making sure everything's safe. So that the others can sleep."

"What about you?"

"I will sleep later, after some of the other shiki are up."

She smiled up at him. "You are a very good person, Touda-san."

He seemed surprised by this, though it was difficult to tell behind the visor. "…I do not think so."

"But you're protecting everyone. And you saved Hokuto today. So you must be a good person."

The serpent stared at her a moment before kneeling down. "Sakuya, do you know why Suzaku hates me?"

"No. I don't think she hates you but she's definitely angry at you for something."

"…I almost killed Tsuzuki."

Green eyes widened and she stared up at him in disbelief. "W-what?! Why? I thought you served him."

"I do. And in serving him I almost killed him. I placed my duty above even my feelings for him and tried to take his life." His eyes were hidden behind the visor yet she felt a shiver go through her as if they were looking right into her own. "Do you still think I am a good person?"

Sakuya hesitated a moment before reaching out and placing the tips of her fingers against his forehead. The shiki tensed, not used to being touched so, then tensed further when she sucked in a breath and cringed. But she didn't move away. Tears came to her eyes and she took her hand away.

"You…Tsuzuki…Tsuzuki-jisan wanted to die?"

"How did you…?"

"I…I have empathy. And I can see memories with strong emotions if I try. That's what nii-san told me anyway. B-but why did Tsuzuki want to die?"

There was silence for a moment before the serpent spoke. "His life…has not been easy. Eventually it accumulated to the point where he just...wanted to stop. He asked me to kill him and…"

"But you didn't want to," she said. It was not a question, it was a statement said as she brushed her tears away. "You didn't want Tsuzuki to die." There was enough of an answer in his silence this time. "Touda-san, if you had killed Tsuzuki, you would've died to wouldn't you?"

"Our lives our not connected. It would only mean I no longer had a master."

"That's not what I meant. You would've wanted to die to, wouldn't you? And done it?"

"…Yes. If I had killed him, I would've either taken my own life or allowed the others to kill me. I could not disobey his orders, not when they were his greatest wish, and I could not bear the thought of having killed him by my hands."

"Then you're a good person." She smiled. "Touda-san cares for Tsuzuki very, very much. And Tsuzuki cares for Touda. I'm sure he would not have wanted you to die because of him. And nii-san saved you both when he saved Tsuzuki."

"You saw all that?"

"Uh huh. And they aren't dead. Tsuzuki-jisan is happy now, I promise. He's still alive and happy, so now Touda should be happy too."

"…Because I'm a good person?"

"Definitely! Even if you don't think so, since you saved Hokuto you're a good guy."

"I did that on orders."

"Doesn't mean it was the right thing to do. You still have a heart and you can still feel pain. But you could feel happy too, right?"

He looked at her a little long before he sighed. "It is not that easy."

"Why not?" she whined.

Another chuckle cough came from him. "Thing are not always simple, child."

"Bah, you're just being lazy now."

The laugh was closer to a laugh this time, though it sounded rusty and ill-used. Sakuya smiled up at him before yawning, here eyes blinking dazedly. "You should go to bed. It's late."

She nodded before reaching out and taking his un-clawed hand. "Walk me back to Tenko's room?" The serpent was surprised for a moment before taking her hand loosely and leading her back through the halls. "Thank you, Touda-san. It was nice talking to you."

"Yes…it was."

She smiled and went back into the room. Touda was about to return to his patrol when he noticed someone looking at him. "You should be in bed too."

Hokuto glared at him before going back into his room and slamming the door behind him. Touda blinked before returning to the outside. _Humans…are very strange creatures._

--

And it's done!! Wish me luck finishing the next one.


End file.
